Systems and methods for selecting for usage one or more functional devices detected within a communication range of a wearable computing device

ABSTRACT

Computationally implemented methods and systems include detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices within the communication range of a wearable computing device; and selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one or more functionalities. In addition to the foregoing, other aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

If an Application Data Sheet (ADS) has been filed on the filing date ofthis application, it is incorporated by reference herein. Anyapplications claimed on the ADS for priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119, 120,121, or 365(c), and any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of such applications, are also incorporated byreference, including any priority claims made in those applications andany material incorporated by reference, to the extent such subjectmatter is not inconsistent herewith.

The present application is related to and/or claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Priority Applications”), if any, listed below(e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other thanprovisional patent applications or claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e)for provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the PriorityApplication(s)). In addition, the present application is related to the“Related Applications,” if any, listed below.

Priority Applications

The present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/950,926, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORPROVIDING ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONALITIES TO A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICEWITH SMALL FORM FACTOR, naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T.Tegreene as inventors, filed 25, Jul., 2013 .

The present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/962,373, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORPROVIDING ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONALITIES TO A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICE,naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T. Tegreene asinventors, filed 8, Aug., 2013 which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/961,187, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORPROVIDING ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONALITIES TO A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICE,naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T. Tegreene asinventors, filed 7, Aug., 2013 .

The present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/017,693, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORPROVIDING ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONALITIES TO A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICEWITH DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA, naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; RoyceA. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T.Tegreene as inventors, filed 04, Sep., 2013 which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/014,882, entitled SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR PROVIDING ONE OR MORE FUNCTIONALITIES TO A WEARABLECOMPUTING DEVICE WITH DIRECTIONAL ANTENNA, naming Pablos Holman,Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; MarkA. Malamud; Clarence T. Tegreene as inventors, filed 30, Aug., 2013 .

The present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/044,576, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORCOMMUNICATING BEYOND COMMUNICATION RANGE OF A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICE,naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T. Tegreene asinventors, filed 02, Oct., 2013 ,and which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/043,395, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORCOMMUNICATING BEYOND COMMUNICATION RANGE OF A WEARABLE COMPUTING DEVICE,naming Pablos Holman, Roderick A. Hyde; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; Clarence T. Tegreene asinventors, filed 01, Oct., 2013 .

RELATED APPLICATIONS

None as of the filing date.

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTOOfficial Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The USPTO further has provided forms forthe Application Data Sheet which allow automatic loading ofbibliographic data but which require identification of each applicationas a continuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) hasprovided above a specific reference to the application(s) from whichpriority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understandsthat the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language anddoes not require either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant has provided designation(s) of arelationship between the present application and its parentapplication(s) as set forth above and in any ADS filed in thisapplication, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are notto be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission asto whether or not the present application contains any new matter inaddition to the matter of its parent application(s).

If the listings of applications provided above are inconsistent with thelistings provided via an ADS, it is the intent of the Applicant to claimpriority to each application that appears in the Priority Applicationssection of the ADS and to each application that appears in the PriorityApplications section of this application.

All subject matter of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications and of any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Priority Applications and the RelatedApplications, including any priority claims, is incorporated herein byreference to the extent such subject matter is not inconsistentherewith.

SUMMARY

In one or more various aspects, a method includes, but is not limitedto, detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices withincommunication range of a wearable computing device, the communicationrange being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing deviceand being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-powersignals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary, and selecting,from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devicesfor providing to the wearable computing device one or morefunctionalities. In various implementations, at least one of thedetecting or selecting is performed by a machine or article ofmanufacture. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects aredescribed in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of thedisclosure set forth herein.

In one or more various aspects, one or more related systems may beimplemented in machines, compositions of matter, or manufactures ofsystems, limited to patentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101. Theone or more related systems may include, but are not limited to,circuitry and/or programming for effecting the herein-referenced methodaspects. The circuitry and/or programming may be virtually anycombination of hardware, software, and/or firmware configured to effectthe herein-referenced method aspects depending upon the design choicesof the system designer, and limited to patentable subject matter under35 USC 101.

In one or more various aspects, a system includes, but is not limitedto, means for detecting presence of a plurality of functional deviceswithin communication range of a wearable computing device, thecommunication range being a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary,where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing devicebeing discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundaryand not discernible over background noise outside the envelopingboundary, and means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more functionalities. In addition to theforegoing, other system aspects are described in the claims, drawings,and text forming a part of the disclosure set forth herein.

In one or more various aspects, a system includes, but is not limitedto, circuitry for detecting presence of a plurality of functionaldevices within communication range of a wearable computing device, thecommunication range being a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary,where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing devicebeing discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundaryand not discernible over background noise outside the envelopingboundary, and circuitry for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more functionalities. In addition to theforegoing, other system aspects are described in the claims, drawings,and text forming a part of the disclosure set forth herein.

In one or more various aspects, a computer program product, comprising asignal bearing non-transitory storage medium, bearing one or moreinstructions including, but not limited to, detecting presence of aplurality of functional devices within communication range of a wearablecomputing device, the communication range being a spatial volume thatincludes the wearable computing device and being externally defined byan enveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by thewearable computing device being discernible over background noise withinthe enveloping boundary and not discernible over background noiseoutside the enveloping boundary, selecting, from the plurality offunctional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to thewearable computing device one or more functionalities, and selecting,from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devicesfor providing to the wearable computing device one or morefunctionalities. In addition to the foregoing, other computer programproduct aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forminga part of the disclosure set forth herein.

In one or more various aspects, a system includes, but is not limitedto, a functional device presence sensing module configured to sensepresence of a plurality of functional devices within communication rangeof a wearable computing device, the communication range of the wearablecomputing device being a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary,where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing devicebeing discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundaryand not discernible over background noise outside the envelopingboundary; a functional device choosing module configured to choose, fromthe plurality of functional devices that were sensed to be within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device, one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore functionalities; and a functionality use facilitating moduleconfigured to facilitate the wearable computing device to use the one ormore functionalities provided by the one or more chosen functionaldevices.

In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or system and/orprogram product aspects are set forth and described in the teachingssuch as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed description) and/or drawingsof the present disclosure.

The foregoing is a summary and thus may contain simplifications,generalizations, inclusions, and/or omissions of detail; consequently,those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary isillustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any way limiting. Otheraspects, features, and advantages of the devices and/or processes and/orother subject matter described herein will become apparent by referenceto the detailed description, the corresponding drawings, and/or in theteachings set forth herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

For a more complete understanding of embodiments, reference now is madeto the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. The use of the same symbols in different drawings typicallyindicates similar or identical items, unless context dictates otherwise.The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description,drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments maybe utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from thespirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

FIG. 1A is a high-level block diagram of one perspective of an examplewearable computing device 10* operating in an exemplary environment 100.

FIG. 1B is a high-level block diagram of another perspective of theexample wearable computing device 10* operating in the exemplaryenvironment 100.

FIG. 1C is a high-level block diagram of still another perspective ofthe example wearable computing device 10* operating in the exemplaryenvironment 100.

FIG. 1D is a high-level block diagram of yet another perspective of thewearable computing device 10* operating in the exemplary environment100.

FIG. 2A shows exemplary computing glasses 12 that the example wearablecomputing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D may be in the form ofin accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2B shows an exemplary computing watch 14 that the example wearablecomputing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D may be in the form ofin accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary Graphical User Interface (GUI) that may bedisplayed by the wearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and1D.

FIG. 3B shows another exemplary Graphical User Interface (GUI) that maybe displayed by the wearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C,and 1D.

FIG. 3C shows another exemplary Graphical User Interface (GUI) that maybe displayed by the wearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C,and 1D.

FIG. 4A shows a block diagram of particular implementation of thewearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D.

FIG. 4B shows a block diagram of another implementation of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D

FIG. 5A shows another perspective of the functional device presencesensing module 102* of FIGS. 4A and 4B (e.g., the functional devicepresence sensing module 102′ of FIG. 4A or the functional devicepresence sensing module 102″ of FIG. 4B) in accordance with variousimplementations.

FIG. 5B shows another perspective of the functional device choosingmodule 104* of FIGS. 4A and 4B (e.g., the functional device choosingmodule 104′ of FIG. 4A or the functional device choosing module 104″ ofFIG. 4B) in accordance with various implementations.

FIG. 5C shows another perspective of the functionality use facilitatingmodule 106* of FIGS. 4A and 4B (e.g., the functionality use facilitatingmodule 106′ of FIG. 4A or the functionality use facilitating module 106″of FIG. 4B) in accordance with various implementations.

FIG. 6 is a high-level logic flowchart of a process, e.g., operationalflow 600, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7A is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7B is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7C is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7D is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7E is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7F is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7G is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7H is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7J is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 7K is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device presence detecting operation602 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8A is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device selecting operation 604 of FIG.6.

FIG. 8B is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device selecting operation 604 of FIG.6.

FIG. 8C is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depicting alternateimplementations of the functional device selecting operation 604 of FIG.6.

FIG. 9 is another high-level logic flowchart of another process, e.g.,operational flow 900, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 10A is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the functionality use facilitatingoperation 906 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 10B is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the functionality use facilitatingoperation 906 of FIG. 9.

FIG. 10C is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the functionality use facilitatingoperation 906 of FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar or identical components oritems, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodimentsdescribed in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are notmeant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and otherchanges may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of thesubject matter presented here.

Thus, in accordance with various embodiments, computationallyimplemented methods, systems, circuitry, articles of manufacture,ordered chains of matter, and computer program products are designed to,among other things, provide one or more wearable computing devices forthe environment illustrated in FIG. 1.

The claims, description, and drawings of this application may describeone or more of the instant technologies in operational/functionallanguage, for example as a set of operations to be performed by acomputer. Such operational/functional description in most instanceswould be understood by one skilled the art as specifically-configuredhardware (e.g., because a general purpose computer in effect becomes aspecial purpose computer once it is programmed to perform particularfunctions pursuant to instructions from program software).

Importantly, although the operational/functional descriptions describedherein are understandable by the human mind, they are not abstract ideasof the operations/functions divorced from computational implementationof those operations/functions. Rather, the operations/functionsrepresent a specification for the massively complex computationalmachines or other means. As discussed in detail below, theoperational/functional language must be read in its proper technologicalcontext, i.e., as concrete specifications for physical implementations.

The logical operations/functions described herein are a distillation ofmachine specifications or other physical mechanisms specified by theoperations/functions such that the otherwise inscrutable machinespecifications may be comprehensible to the human mind. The distillationalso allows one of skill in the art to adapt the operational/functionaldescription of the technology across many different specific vendors'hardware configurations or platforms, without being limited to specificvendors' hardware configurations or platforms.

Some of the present technical description (e.g., detailed description,drawings, claims, etc.) may be set forth in terms of logicaloperations/functions. As described in more detail in the followingparagraphs, these logical operations/functions are not representationsof abstract ideas, but rather representative of static or sequencedspecifications of various hardware elements. Differently stated, unlesscontext dictates otherwise, the logical operations/functions will beunderstood by those of skill in the art to be representative of staticor sequenced specifications of various hardware elements. This is truebecause tools available to one of skill in the art to implementtechnical disclosures set forth in operational/functional formats—toolsin the form of a high-level programming language (e.g., C, java, visualbasic, etc.), or tools in the form of Very high speed HardwareDescription Language (“VHDL,” which is a language that uses text todescribe logic circuits)—are generators of static or sequencedspecifications of various hardware configurations. This fact issometimes obscured by the broad term “software,” but, as shown by thefollowing explanation, those skilled in the art understand that what istermed “software” is a shorthand for a massively complexinterchaining/specification of ordered-matter elements. The term“ordered-matter elements” may refer to physical components ofcomputation, such as assemblies of electronic logic gates, molecularcomputing logic constituents, quantum computing mechanisms, etc.

For example, a high-level programming language is a programming languagewith strong abstraction, e.g., multiple levels of abstraction, from thedetails of the sequential organizations, states, inputs, outputs, etc.,of the machines that a high-level programming language actuallyspecifies. See, e.g., Wikipedia, High-level programming language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-level_programming_language (as of Jun.5, 2012, 21:00 GMT). In order to facilitate human comprehension, in manyinstances, high-level programming languages resemble or even sharesymbols with natural languages. See, e.g., Wikipedia, Natural language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language (as of Jun. 5, 2012, 21:00GMT).

It has been argued that because high-level programming languages usestrong abstraction (e.g., that they may resemble or share symbols withnatural languages), they are therefore a “purely mental construct”(e.g., that “software”—a computer program or computer programming—issomehow an ineffable mental construct, because at a high level ofabstraction, it can be conceived and understood in the human mind). Thisargument has been used to characterize technical description in the formof functions/operations as somehow “abstract ideas.” In fact, intechnological arts (e.g., the information and communicationtechnologies) this is not true.

The fact that high-level programming languages use strong abstraction tofacilitate human understanding should not be taken as an indication thatwhat is expressed is an abstract idea. In fact, those skilled in the artunderstand that just the opposite is true. If a high-level programminglanguage is the tool used to implement a technical disclosure in theform of functions/operations, those skilled in the art will recognizethat, far from being abstract, imprecise, “fuzzy,” or “mental” in anysignificant semantic sense, such a tool is instead a nearincomprehensibly precise sequential specification of specificcomputational machines—the parts of which are built up byactivating/selecting such parts from typically more generalcomputational machines over time (e.g., clocked time). This fact issometimes obscured by the superficial similarities between high-levelprogramming languages and natural languages. These superficialsimilarities also may cause a glossing over of the fact that high-levelprogramming language implementations ultimately perform valuable work bycreating/controlling many different computational machines.

The many different computational machines that a high-level programminglanguage specifies are almost unimaginably complex. At base, thehardware used in the computational machines typically consists of sometype of ordered matter (e.g., traditional external linking devices(e.g., transistors), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), quantum devices,mechanical switches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, optical devices(e.g., optical interference devices), molecules, etc.) that are arrangedto form logic gates. Logic gates are typically physical devices that maybe electrically, mechanically, chemically, or otherwise driven to changephysical state in order to create a physical reality of Boolean logic.

Logic gates may be arranged to form logic circuits, which are typicallyphysical devices that may be electrically, mechanically, chemically, orotherwise driven to create a physical reality of certain logicalfunctions. Types of logic circuits include such devices as multiplexers,registers, arithmetic logic units (ALUs), computer memory, etc., eachtype of which may be combined to form yet other types of physicaldevices, such as a central processing unit (CPU)—the best known of whichis the microprocessor. A modern microprocessor will often contain morethan one hundred million logic gates in its many logic circuits (andoften more than a billion transistors). See, e.g., Wikipedia, Logicgates, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_gates (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT).

The logic circuits forming the microprocessor are arranged to provide amicroarchitecture that will carry out the instructions defined by thatmicroprocessor's defined Instruction Set Architecture. The InstructionSet Architecture is the part of the microprocessor architecture relatedto programming, including the native data types, instructions,registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt andexception handling, and external Input/Output. See, e.g., Wikipedia,Computer architecture,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_architecture (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT).

The Instruction Set Architecture includes a specification of the machinelanguage that can be used by programmers to use/control themicroprocessor. Since the machine language instructions are such thatthey may be executed directly by the microprocessor, typically theyconsist of strings of binary digits, or bits. For example, a typicalmachine language instruction might be many bits long (e.g., 32, 64, or128 bit strings are currently common). A typical machine languageinstruction might take the form “11110000101011110000111100111111” (a 32bit instruction).

It is significant here that, although the machine language instructionsare written as sequences of binary digits, in actuality those binarydigits specify physical reality. For example, if certain semiconductorsare used to make the operations of Boolean logic a physical reality, theapparently mathematical bits “1” and “0” in a machine languageinstruction actually constitute shorthand that specifies the applicationof specific voltages to specific wires. For example, in somesemiconductor technologies, the binary number “1” (e.g., logical “1”) ina machine language instruction specifies around +5 volts applied to aspecific “wire” (e.g., metallic traces on a printed circuit board) andthe binary number “0” (e.g., logical “0”) in a machine languageinstruction specifies around −5 volts applied to a specific “wire.” Inaddition to specifying voltages of the machines' configuration, suchmachine language instructions also select out and activate specificgroupings of logic gates from the millions of logic gates of the moregeneral machine. Thus, far from abstract mathematical expressions,machine language instruction programs, even though written as a stringof zeros and ones, specify many, many constructed physical machines orphysical machine states.

Machine language is typically incomprehensible by most humans (e.g., theabove example was just ONE instruction, and some personal computersexecute more than two billion instructions every second). See, e.g.,Wikipedia, Instructions per second,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second (as of Jun. 5,2012, 21:04 GMT). Thus, programs written in machine language—which maybe tens of millions of machine language instructions long—areincomprehensible. In view of this, early assembly languages weredeveloped that used mnemonic codes to refer to machine languageinstructions, rather than using the machine language instructions'numeric values directly (e.g., for performing a multiplicationoperation, programmers coded the abbreviation “mult,” which representsthe binary number “011000” in MIPS machine code). While assemblylanguages were initially a great aid to humans controlling themicroprocessors to perform work, in time the complexity of the work thatneeded to be done by the humans outstripped the ability of humans tocontrol the microprocessors using merely assembly languages.

At this point, it was noted that the same tasks needed to be done overand over, and the machine language necessary to do those repetitivetasks was the same. In view of this, compilers were created. A compileris a device that takes a statement that is more comprehensible to ahuman than either machine or assembly language, such as “add 2+2 andoutput the result,” and translates that human understandable statementinto a complicated, tedious, and immense machine language code (e.g.,millions of 32, 64, or 128 bit length strings). Compilers thus translatehigh-level programming language into machine language.

This compiled machine language, as described above, is then used as thetechnical specification which sequentially constructs and causes theinteroperation of many different computational machines such thathumanly useful, tangible, and concrete work is done. For example, asindicated above, such machine language—the compiled version of thehigher-level language—functions as a technical specification whichselects out hardware logic gates, specifies voltage levels, voltagetransition timings, etc., such that the humanly useful work isaccomplished by the hardware.

Thus, a functional/operational technical description, when viewed by oneof skill in the art, is far from an abstract idea. Rather, such afunctional/operational technical description, when understood throughthe tools available in the art such as those just described, is insteadunderstood to be a humanly understandable representation of a hardwarespecification, the complexity and specificity of which far exceeds thecomprehension of most any one human. With this in mind, those skilled inthe art will understand that any such operational/functional technicaldescriptions—in view of the disclosures herein and the knowledge ofthose skilled in the art—may be understood as operations made intophysical reality by (a) one or more interchained physical machines, (b)interchained logic gates configured to create one or more physicalmachine(s) representative of sequential/combinatorial logic(s), (c)interchained ordered matter making up logic gates (e.g., interchainedelectronic devices (e.g., transistors), DNA, quantum devices, mechanicalswitches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, molecules, etc.) that createphysical reality representative of logic(s), or (d) virtually anycombination of the foregoing. Indeed, any physical object which has astable, measurable, and changeable state may be used to construct amachine based on the above technical description. Charles Babbage, forexample, constructed the first computer out of wood and powered bycranking a handle.

Thus, far from being understood as an abstract idea, those skilled inthe art will recognize a functional/operational technical description asa humanly-understandable representation of one or more almostunimaginably complex and time sequenced hardware instantiations. Thefact that functional/operational technical descriptions might lendthemselves readily to high-level computing languages (or high-levelblock diagrams for that matter) that share some words, structures,phrases, etc. with natural language simply cannot be taken as anindication that such functional/operational technical descriptions areabstract ideas, or mere expressions of abstract ideas. In fact, asoutlined herein, in the technological arts this is simply not true. Whenviewed through the tools available to those of skill in the art, suchfunctional/operational technical descriptions are seen as specifyinghardware configurations of almost unimaginable complexity.

As outlined above, the reason for the use of functional/operationaltechnical descriptions is at least twofold. First, the use offunctional/operational technical descriptions allows near-infinitelycomplex machines and machine operations arising from interchainedhardware elements to be described in a manner that the human mind canprocess (e.g., by mimicking natural language and logical narrativeflow). Second, the use of functional/operational technical descriptionsassists the person of skill in the art in understanding the describedsubject matter by providing a description that is more or lessindependent of any specific vendor's piece(s) of hardware.

The use of functional/operational technical descriptions assists theperson of skill in the art in understanding the described subject mattersince, as is evident from the above discussion, one could easily,although not quickly, transcribe the technical descriptions set forth inthis document as trillions of ones and zeroes, billions of single linesof assembly-level machine code, millions of logic gates, thousands ofgate arrays, or any number of intermediate levels of abstractions.However, if any such low-level technical descriptions were to replacethe present technical description, a person of skill in the art couldencounter undue difficulty in implementing the disclosure, because sucha low-level technical description would likely add complexity without acorresponding benefit (e.g., by describing the subject matter utilizingthe conventions of one or more vendor-specific pieces of hardware).Thus, the use of functional/operational technical descriptions assiststhose of skill in the art by separating the technical descriptions fromthe conventions of any vendor-specific piece of hardware.

In view of the foregoing, the logical operations/functions set forth inthe present technical description are representative of static orsequenced specifications of various ordered-matter elements, in orderthat such specifications may be comprehensible to the human mind andadaptable to create many various hardware configurations. The logicaloperations/functions disclosed herein should be treated as such, andshould not be disparagingly characterized as abstract ideas merelybecause the specifications they represent are presented in a manner thatone of skill in the art can readily understand and apply in a mannerindependent of a specific vendor's hardware implementation.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the arthas progressed to the point where there is little distinction leftbetween hardware, software, and/or firmware implementations of aspectsof systems; the use of hardware, software, and/or firmware is generally(but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardwareand software can become significant) a design choice representing costvs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciatethat there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/orother technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware,software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will varywith the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or othertechnologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determinesthat speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for amainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibilityis paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly softwareimplementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt forsome combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware in one or moremachines, compositions of matter, and articles of manufacture, limitedto patentable subject matter under 35 USC 101. Hence, there are severalpossible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or othertechnologies described herein may be effected, none of which isinherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is achoice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be deployedand the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability)of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art willrecognize that optical aspects of implementations will typically employoptically-oriented hardware, software, and or firmware.

In some implementations described herein, logic and similarimplementations may include software or other control structures.Electronic circuitry, for example, may have one or more paths ofelectrical current constructed and arranged to implement variousfunctions as described herein. In some implementations, one or moremedia may be configured to bear a device-detectable implementation whensuch media holds or transmits device detectable instructions operable toperform as described herein. In some variants, for example,implementations may include an update or modification of existingsoftware or firmware, or of gate arrays or programmable hardware, suchas by performing a reception of or a transmission of one or moreinstructions in relation to one or more operations described herein.Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, an implementation mayinclude special-purpose hardware, software, firmware components, and/orgeneral-purpose components executing or otherwise invokingspecial-purpose components. Specifications or other implementations maybe transmitted by one or more instances of tangible transmission mediaas described herein, optionally by packet transmission or otherwise bypassing through distributed media at various times.

Alternatively or additionally, implementations may include executing aspecial-purpose instruction sequence or invoking circuitry for enabling,triggering, coordinating, requesting, or otherwise causing one or moreoccurrences of virtually any functional operations described herein. Insome variants, operational or other logical descriptions herein may beexpressed as source code and compiled or otherwise invoked as anexecutable instruction sequence. In some contexts, for example,implementations may be provided, in whole or in part, by source code,such as C++, or other code sequences. In other implementations, sourceor other code implementation, using commercially available and/ortechniques in the art, may be compiled/implemented/translated/convertedinto a high-level descriptor language (e.g., initially implementingdescribed technologies in C or C++ programming language and thereafterconverting the programming language implementation into alogic-synthesizable language implementation, a hardware descriptionlanguage implementation, a hardware design simulation implementation,and/or other such similar mode(s) of expression). For example, some orall of a logical expression (e.g., computer programming languageimplementation) may be manifested as a Verilog-type hardware description(e.g., via Hardware Description Language (HDL) and/or Very High SpeedIntegrated Circuit Hardware Descriptor Language (VHDL)) or othercircuitry model which may then be used to create a physicalimplementation having hardware (e.g., an Application Specific IntegratedCircuit). Those skilled in the art will recognize how to obtain,configure, and optimize suitable transmission or computational elements,material supplies, actuators, or other structures in light of theseteachings.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within the artto implement devices and/or processes and/or systems, and thereafter useengineering and/or other practices to integrate such implemented devicesand/or processes and/or systems into more comprehensive devices and/orprocesses and/or systems. That is, at least a portion of the devicesand/or processes and/or systems described herein can be integrated intoother devices and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount ofexperimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize thatexamples of such other devices and/or processes and/or systems mightinclude—as appropriate to context and application—all or part of devicesand/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air conveyance (e.g., anairplane, rocket, helicopter, etc.), (b) a ground conveyance (e.g., acar, truck, locomotive, tank, armored personnel carrier, etc.), (c) abuilding (e.g., a home, warehouse, office, etc.), (d) an appliance(e.g., a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) acommunications system (e.g., a networked system, a telephone system, aVoice over IP system, etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an InternetService Provider (ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Qwest, SouthwesternBell, etc.), or (g) a wired/wireless services entity (e.g., Sprint,Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc.

In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a territoryeven if components are located outside the territory. For example, in adistributed computing context, use of a distributed computing system mayoccur in a territory even though parts of the system may be locatedoutside of the territory (e.g., relay, server, processor, signal-bearingmedium, transmitting computer, receiving computer, etc. located outsidethe territory).

A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in a territory even ifcomponents of the system or method are located and/or used outside theterritory. Further, implementation of at least part of a system forperforming a method in one territory does not preclude use of the systemin another territory

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious embodiments described herein can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by various types of electro-mechanical systemshaving a wide range of electrical components such as hardware, software,firmware, and/or virtually any combination thereof, limited topatentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101; and a wide range ofcomponents that may impart mechanical force or motion such as rigidbodies, spring or torsional bodies, hydraulics, electro-magneticallyactuated devices, and/or virtually any combination thereof.Consequently, as used herein, “electro-mechanical system” includes, butis not limited to, electrical circuitry operably coupled with atransducer (e.g., an actuator, a motor, a piezoelectric crystal, a MicroElectro Mechanical System (MEMS), etc.), electrical circuitry having atleast one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having atleast one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least oneapplication specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming ageneral purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g.,a general purpose computer configured by a computer program which atleast partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein,or a microprocessor configured by a computer program which at leastpartially carries out processes and/or devices described herein),electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of memory(e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), electrical circuitryforming a communications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch,optical-electrical equipment, etc.), and/or any non-electrical analogthereto, such as optical or other analogs (e.g., graphene basedcircuitry). Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that examplesof electro-mechanical systems include, but are not limited to, a varietyof consumer electronics systems, medical devices, as well as othersystems such as motorized transport systems, factory automation systems,security systems, and/or communication/computing systems. Those skilledin the art will recognize that electro-mechanical as used herein is notnecessarily limited to a system that has both electrical and mechanicalactuation except as context may dictate otherwise.

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious aspects described herein which can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware,and/or any combination thereof can be viewed as being composed ofvarious types of “electrical circuitry.” Consequently, as used herein“electrical circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, electricalcircuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electricalcircuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitryhaving at least one application specific integrated circuit, electricalcircuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by acomputer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by acomputer program which at least partially carries out processes and/ordevices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computerprogram which at least partially carries out processes and/or devicesdescribed herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g.,forms of memory (e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), and/orelectrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem,communications switch, optical-electrical equipment, etc.). Those havingskill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described hereinmay be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combinationthereof.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of thedevices and/or processes described herein can be integrated into animage processing system. Those having skill in the art will recognizethat a typical image processing system generally includes one or more ofa system unit housing, a video display device, memory such as volatileor non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors or digitalsignal processors, computational entities such as operating systems,drivers, application programs, one or more interaction devices (e.g., atouch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.), and/or control systemsincluding feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback for sensinglens position and/or velocity; control motors for moving/distortinglenses to give desired focuses). An image processing system may beimplemented utilizing suitable commercially available components, suchas those typically found in digital still systems and/or digital motionsystems.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of thedevices and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a dataprocessing system. Those having skill in the art will recognize that adata processing system generally includes one or more of a system unithousing, a video display device, memory such as volatile or non-volatilememory, processors such as microprocessors or digital signal processors,computational entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphicaluser interfaces, and application programs, one or more interactiondevices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.), and/orcontrol systems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g.,feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control motors for movingand/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A data processing systemmay be implemented utilizing suitable commercially available components,such as those typically found in data computing/communication and/ornetwork computing/communication systems.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of thedevices and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a motesystem. Those having skill in the art will recognize that a typical motesystem generally includes one or more memories such as volatile ornon-volatile memories, processors such as microprocessors or digitalsignal processors, computational entities such as operating systems,user interfaces, drivers, sensors, actuators, application programs, oneor more interaction devices (e.g., an antenna USB ports, acoustic ports,etc.), control systems including feedback loops and control motors(e.g., feedback for sensing or estimating position and/or velocity;control motors for moving and/or adjusting components and/orquantities). A mote system may be implemented utilizing suitablecomponents, such as those found in mote computing/communication systems.Specific examples of such components entail such as Intel Corporation'sand/or Crossbow Corporation's mote components and supporting hardware,software, and/or firmware.

For the purposes of this application, “cloud” computing may beunderstood as described in the cloud computing literature. For example,cloud computing may be methods and/or systems for the delivery ofcomputational capacity and/or storage capacity as a service. The “cloud”may refer to one or more hardware and/or software components thatdeliver or assist in the delivery of computational and/or storagecapacity, including, but not limited to, one or more of a client, anapplication, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server. The cloudmay refer to any of the hardware and/or software associated with aclient, an application, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server.For example, cloud and cloud computing may refer to one or more of acomputer, a processor, a storage medium, a router, a switch, a modem, avirtual machine (e.g., a virtual server), a data center, an operatingsystem, a middleware, a firmware, a hardware back-end, a softwareback-end, and/or a software application. A cloud may refer to a privatecloud, a public cloud, a hybrid cloud, and/or a community cloud. A cloudmay be a shared pool of configurable computing resources, which may bepublic, private, semi-private, distributable, scaleable, flexible,temporary, virtual, and/or physical. A cloud or cloud service may bedelivered over one or more types of network, e.g., a mobilecommunication network, and the Internet.

As used in this application, a cloud or a cloud service may include oneor more of infrastructure-as-a-service (“IaaS”), platform-as-a-service(“PaaS”), software-as-a-service (“SaaS”), and/or desktop-as-a-service(“DaaS”). As a non-exclusive example, IaaS may include, e.g., one ormore virtual server instantiations that may start, stop, access, and/orconfigure virtual servers and/or storage centers (e.g., providing one ormore processors, storage space, and/or network resources on-demand,e.g., EMC and Rackspace). PaaS may include, e.g., one or more softwareand/or development tools hosted on an infrastructure (e.g., a computingplatform and/or a solution stack from which the client can createsoftware interfaces and applications, e.g., Microsoft Azure). SaaS mayinclude, e.g., software hosted by a service provider and accessible overa network (e.g., the software for the application and/or the dataassociated with that software application may be kept on the network,e.g., Google Apps, SalesForce). DaaS may include, e.g., providingdesktop, applications, data, and/or services for the user over a network(e.g., providing a multi-application framework, the applications in theframework, the data associated with the applications, and/or servicesrelated to the applications and/or the data over the network, e.g.,Citrix). The foregoing is intended to be exemplary of the types ofsystems and/or methods referred to in this application as “cloud” or“cloud computing” and should not be considered complete or exhaustive.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein describedcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussionaccompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptualclarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated.Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and theaccompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their moregeneral classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended tobe representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specificcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be takenas limiting.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates differentcomponents contained within, or connected with, different othercomponents. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures aremerely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures may beimplemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense,any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality iseffectively “associated” such that the desired functionality isachieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve aparticular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each othersuch that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective ofarchitectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably connected” or “operablycoupled” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any twocomponents capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being“operably couplable” to each other to achieve the desired functionality.Specific examples of operably couplable include, but are not limited, tophysically mateable and/or physically interacting components, and/orwirelessly interactable, and/or wirelessly interacting components,and/or logically interacting, and/or logically interactable components.

To the extent that formal outline headings are present in thisapplication, it is to be understood that the outline headings are forpresentation purposes, and that different types of subject matter may bediscussed throughout the application (e.g., device(s)/structure(s) maybe described under process(es)/operations heading(s) and/orprocess(es)/operations may be discussed under structure(s)/process(es)headings and/or descriptions of single topics may span two or more topicheadings). Hence, any use of formal outline headings in this applicationis for presentation purposes, and is not intended to be in any waylimiting.

Throughout this application, examples and lists are given, withparentheses, the abbreviation “e.g.,” or both. Unless explicitlyotherwise stated, these examples and lists are merely exemplary and arenon-exhaustive. In most cases, it would be prohibitive to list everyexample and every combination. Thus, smaller, illustrative lists andexamples are used, with focus on imparting understanding of the claimterms rather than limiting the scope of such terms.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein describedcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussionaccompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptualclarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated.Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and theaccompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their moregeneral classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended tobe representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specificcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be takenas limiting.

Although one or more users may be shown and/or described herein as asingle illustrated figure, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatone or more users may be representative of one or more human users,robotic users (e.g., computational entity), and/or substantially anycombination thereof (e.g., a user may be assisted by one or more roboticagents) unless context dictates otherwise. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that, in general, the same may be said of “sender” and/orother entity-oriented terms as such terms are used herein unless contextdictates otherwise.

In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as“configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable/operativeto,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc.Those skilled in the art will recognize that such terms (e.g.“configured to”) generally encompass active-state components and/orinactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unlesscontext requires otherwise.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar or identical components oritems, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodimentsdescribed in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are notmeant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and otherchanges may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of thesubject matter presented here.

The rapid advancement and miniaturization of integrated circuitry andmicroelectronics over the last three decades have greatly facilitatedthose in the mobile computing industry to develop functionally powerfulcomputing/communication devices, from the original clunky brick-sizedportable telephones to today's sleek cellular telephones andSmartphones, and from yesterday's bulky laptops to today's slim tabletcomputers and e-readers. One recent trend in the evolution of mobilecomputing is the development of wearable computing devices. That is,there are currently multiple efforts by various high-tech groups todevelop computing/communication devices in the form of wearablecomputing devices. Such devices having very small form-factors that aredesigned to be worn by people and that will supposedly be able toprovide various functionalities beyond simple time/chronographfunctionalities including, for example, at least some communicationcapabilities (e.g., connectivity to Wi-Fi or cellular networks) andcapabilities for executing applications (e.g., software programs).Examples of such wearable computing devices include, for example,augmented reality (AR) devices having the form of glasses or goggles(herein “computing glasses”), and computerized watches (herein“computing watches” or “Smartwatches”)

Although the recent advancements in the fields of integrated circuitryand microelectronics (e.g., microprocessors) make the eventualimplementation of wearable computing devices a likely inevitability,developers of such devices still face a number of hurdles that mayprevent such devices from being able to provide the same type offunctionalities that larger mobile devices (e.g., Smartphones, tabletcomputers, and so forth) can provide. One of the problems faced bydevelopers of wearable computing devices is to try to cram into suchsmall form-factor devices all of the components that may be necessary inorder to provide the same functionalities provided by larger mobiledevices. That is, because a wearable computing device (e.g., an ARdevice or a Smartwatch) is designed to be worn by a user, it isgenerally preferable that such devices have relatively smallform-factors and be relatively lightweight. As a result, such a devicemay only accommodate a small and/or limited number of core componentsincluding a power storage device (e.g., battery) that is relativelysmall (and as a result, with limited power storage capabilities) andlight, and a relatively small communication system (e.g., acommunication system that employs a small and/or limited number ofantennas).

For example, and in contrast, larger mobile devices such as Smartphonesand tablet computers typically have multiple antennas for variousfunctionalities including, for example, an antenna for globalpositioning system (GPS), an antenna for Wi-Fi connectivity, and anantenna for cellular network connectivity. It may not be practical, ifnot impossible, to include multiple antennas into a small form-factorwearable computing device such as a computing watch or computingglasses. Also, because such wearable computing devices will be locatedsomewhere on or adjacent to the body of a user, it will be generallydesirable to employ a communication system that emits relatively lowelectromagnetic radiation at least towards the user's body.

In various embodiments, systems, articles of manufacture and methods areprovided herein that allow a wearable computing device to have anextremely small form-factor while providing the same typefunctionalities that are available through larger mobile computingdevices (e.g., Smartphones, tablet computers, and so forth). However, inorder to minimize the size of its communication components (e.g., arelatively small antenna) and to minimize power consumption requirementsduring communication operations, the wearable computing device inaccordance with various embodiments may include communication componentsthat have very limited communication range. In various embodiments, a“wearable computing device” may be a computing device designed to becoupled to at least a portion (e.g., a limb or head) of a user and thathas a relatively small form factor so that it can be comfortably worn bythe user. Examples of a wearable computing device include, for example,a computing watch or computing glasses/goggles (e.g., augmented realitydevice or simply “AR” device). These wearable computing devices mayinclude one or more components (e.g., eyeglass frame or wristband, or aclip to couple to a frame of a pair of glasses or a pin to couple to awristband) to facilitate coupling the wearable computing device to atleast a portion of a user's body.

In order to provide the same or similar functionalities provided bylarger mobile devices (e.g. Smartphones, tablet computers, and soforth), the wearable computing device, in accordance with variousembodiments, may be designed to “borrow” various functionalities fromone or more nearby “functional devices” (e.g., Smartphones, tabletcomputers, workstations, access points, other wearable computingdevices, and so forth) that are near the wearable computing devicewithin the limited communication range of the wearable computing device.Various types of functionalities may be borrowed by a wearable computingdevice from nearby functional devices including, for example,communication links to beyond the limited communication range of thewearable computing device, sensor functionalities (e.g., GPSfunctionalities, audio and/or visual sensor functionalities, movementsensor functionalities, and so forth), application functionalities, andso forth. In various embodiments, and for purposes of the followingdescription, a functional device may be a computing/communication devicethat is located within the limited communication range of the wearablecomputing device and that is designed to communicate with the wearablecomputing device as well as to be able to provide one or morefunctionalities to the wearable computing device. The “communicationrange” of a wearable computing device may be, for example, a spatialvolume that includes the wearable computing device and being externallydefined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signals (e.g.,wireless signals transmitted with less than 0.8 milliwatt of transmitpower) transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary.

In order to minimize the power requirements for communicating withnearby functional devices, in some embodiments the wearable computingdevice may be designed to communicate with the nearby external linkingdevices using a directional antenna, such as a metamaterial antenna, totransmit low-power signals (e.g., less than 1 milliwatt of transmitpower). For these embodiments, the employment of a directional antennarather than other types of antennas (e.g., omnidirectional antenna) tocommunicate with nearby functional devices may provide certainadvantages including reducing power requirements for communicating withthe nearby functional devices and minimizing the amount ofelectromagnetic (EM) radiation that the user of the wearable computingdevice may be exposed to by directing EM radiation away from the user.

It is contemplated that there may be many cases in which multiplefunctional devices that provide the same functionalities are found to bewithin the limited communication range of the wearable computing device.For example, there may be instances in which multiple functional devicesare found to be within the communication range of a wearable computingdevice and that can provide to the wearable computing device the abilityto communicate (e.g., via Wi-Fi links or cellular network links) beyondthe communication range of the wearable computing device. In suchsituations, it may be desirable to be able to intelligently select, fromthe plurality of nearby functional devices that provides the samespecific functionality (e.g., Wi-Fi links or cellular network links), atleast one of the nearby functional devices for providing the specificfunctionality to the wearable computing device.

In various embodiments, the systems, articles of manufacture and methodsmay be designed to, among other things, detect presence of a pluralityof functional devices within communication range of a wearable computingdevice, the communication range being a spatial volume that includes thewearable computing device and being externally defined by an envelopingboundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computingdevice being discernible over background noise within the envelopingboundary and not discernible over background noise outside theenveloping boundary; and select, from the plurality of functionaldevices that were detected as being present within the communicationrange of the wearable computing device, one or more functional devicesfor providing to the wearable computing device one or morefunctionalities.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, which is a block diagram of a wearablecomputing device 10* operating in an exemplary environment 100 inaccordance with various embodiments. For ease of illustration and inorder to facilitate understanding of various concepts to be introducedherein, the user (e.g., person) who is wearing/using the wearablecomputing device 10* while the wearable computing device 10* isoperating will not be depicted in FIG. 1A (as well as FIGS. 1B, 1C, and1D) even though the wearable computing device 10* may be actuallydesigned to operate while being worn by a user. Note that in thefollowing, “*” represents a wildcard. Thus, references in the followingdescription to, for example, “wearable computing device 10*” may be inreference to the example wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 1A, aswell as to the example wearable computing device 10′ of FIG. 4A or tothe wearable computing device 10″ of FIG. 4B, which are two differentimplementations of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 1A (as wellas of FIGS. 1B, 1C, and 1D).

In the illustrated environment 100, the wearable computing device 10*may employ a directional antenna or an omnidirectional antenna (e.g.,antenna 130 in FIGS. 4A and 4B) in order to communicate with one or morefunctional devices 20* (e.g., functional device 20 a, functional device20 b, and/or functional device 20 c). If the wearable computing device10* employs an omnidirectional antenna, then the process forcommunicating with the one or more functional devices 20* by thewearable computing device 10* is more straightforward—by simply makingsure that the transmit power of the signals transmitted by the wearablecomputing device 10* is sufficiently high enough to ensure that thesignals transmitted by the wearable computing device 10* reach the oneor more functional devices 20*. If the wearable computing device 10*, onthe other hand, employs a directional antenna such as metamaterialantenna, then the wearable computing device 10* may only communicatewith the one or more functional devices 20* by pointing the directionalantenna to different portions of the environment 100. In particular, thewearable computing device 10* may communicate with the variousfunctional devices 20* by moving/adjusting the field of regard/beam 60*(e.g., FIG. 1A shows a first field of regard/beam 60 a and a secondfield of regard/beam 60 b as a result of pointing the directionalantenna at different directions) of the directional antenna of thewearable computing device 10* to scan the surrounding environment 100.

By convention, “field of regard” is sometimes used herein whendescribing an example wherein a directional antenna is likely to receivea signal while a “beam” is used herein when describing an examplewherein a directional antenna is likely to transmit a signal. That is, adirectional antenna when transmitting signals (e.g., transmittingelectromagnetic radiation) will transmit the signals primarily towardsone direction thus having greater gain then, for example,multi-directional antennas such as omnidirectional antennas or isotropicradiators (note that a gain is a measure of how much of the power isradiated in a given direction relative to other directions). Thenarrower the beamwidth of the emitted radiation, the greater the gain.When the same directional antenna is in receiving mode, it may be ableto receive signals from the same direction that the directional antennaprimarily radiates signals to. Thus, references in the following to“pointing the directional antenna” or similar such phrases may be inreference to steering or directing the field of regard/beam of thedirectional antenna to different portions of the surroundingenvironment. A more detailed discussion related to the “field of regard”and “beam” is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,929,914, which is herebyincorporated by reference.

In order to communicate with the one or more functional devices 20* ofFIG. 1A, the wearable computing device 10* may transmit one or morelow-power signals 70 with limited transmission range (e.g., less than 30or 40 feet) using a directional antenna (or an omnidirectional antenna).The range of the low-power signals 70 may define a communication range50 that surrounds the wearable computing device 10*. From anotherperspective, the communication range 50 of the wearable computing device10* may be a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing device10* and that is externally defined by an enveloping boundary 52, wherelow-power signals 70 transmitted via the directional antenna (or by anomnidirectional antenna) being discernible over background noise withinthe enveloping boundary 52 and not discernible over background noiseoutside the enveloping boundary 52.

In various embodiments, references in the following to low-power signalsmay be in reference to wireless signals that may be transmitted using adirectional antenna (or a omnidirectional antenna) with substantiallyless than 1 milliwatt of transmit power such as 0.5 milliwatt oftransmit power. Note that the shape of the communication range 50 willnot be spherical in most cases since the size and shape of thecommunication range 50 will be affected by environmental conditions(e.g., atmospheric conditions) and the presence of various objects inthe environment (e.g., people, walls, chairs, etc.). FIG. 1A illustratesthat functional device 20 a and functional device 20 b having capabilityto communicate beyond the communication range 50 of the wearablecomputing device 10* via communication links 90 a and 90 b. Theillustrated communication links 90 a and 90 b may be any one or more ofa variety communication channels/links including, for example, WirelessFidelity (Wi-Fi) links, cellular network links, Ethernet, opticalcommunication links, and so forth.

Referring now to FIG. 1B, which illustrates another aspect of thewearable computing device 10* operating in the exemplary environment 100of FIG. 1A in accordance with various embodiments. In FIG. 1B, thewearable computing device 10* is illustrated as transmitting low-powersignals 70* (e.g., low-power signals 70 a, low-power signals 70 b, andlow-power signals 70 c) at various levels of transmit powers in order togenerate various sizes of communication ranges 50*. For example, thewearable computing device 10* may initially transmit one or morelow-power signals 70 a with a first transmit power (e.g., 0.1 milliwattof transmit power) using a directional or omnidirectional antenna inorder to create a first communication range 50 a that surrounds thewearable computing device 10*. Because the first communication range 50a is relatively small, only functional device 20 b may be able to detectthe one or more low-power signals 70 a transmitted by the wearablecomputing device 10* and to respond to it when detected.

In order to increase the size of its communication range 50*, thewearable computing device 10* may then transmit one or more low-powersignals 70 b with a second transmit power (e.g., 0.2 milliwatt oftransmit power) using a directional or omnidirectional antenna in orderto create a second communication range 50 b that surrounds the wearablecomputing device 10*. Because the second communication range 50 b isbigger than the first communication range 50 a, both functional device20 a and functional device 20 b may be able to detect the one or morelow-power signals 70 b transmitted by the wearable computing device 10*and to respond to it when detected. In order to further increase thesize of its communication range 50*, the wearable computing device 10*may then further transmit one or more low-power signals 70 c with athird transmit power (e.g., 0.3 milliwatt of transmit power) using adirectional or omnidirectional antenna in order to create a thirdcommunication range 50 c that surrounds the wearable computing device10*. Because the third communication range 50 c is even bigger than thesecond communication range 50 b, functional devices 20 a and 20 b, aswell as functional device 20 c may be able to detect the one or morelow-power signals 70 c transmitted by the wearable computing device 10*and to respond to such signals when detected.

There are at least two ways to determine whether there are anyfunctional devices 20* within a communication range[s] 50* of thewearable computing device 10* and/or which functional devices 20* thatare detected within the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10* is or are nearest to the wearable computing device10* (e.g., which functional devices 20* require the least or less powerto communicate with by the wearable computing device 10*). The firstpossible way is to measure the signal strengths of beacon signalsreceived by the wearable computing device 10* and transmitted by each ofthe functional devices 20*. That is, if each of the functional devices20* transmits beacon signals that were originally transmitted with knowntransmit power or powers, then by detecting the signal strengths of thebeacon signals upon being received by the wearable computing device 10*,a determination can be made as to which of the functional devices 20*are in the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*(e.g., within the communication range of the wearable computing device10*) and/or which of the functional devices 20* are nearest to thewearable computing device 10* (as well as the amount of power needed bythe wearable computing device 10* in order to communicate with suchdevices). That is, the amount of transmit power needed by the wearablecomputing device 10* in order to communicate with the one or morefunctional devices 20* may be determined based on the detected signalstrengths of the beacon signals received by the wearable computingdevice 10*. The stronger the signal strength of the beacon signalsreceived by the wearable computing device 10* (which suggests that thefunctional device[s] 20* that transmitted the beacon signals arerelatively close), the less transmit power will be needed by thewearable computing device 10* in order to successfully communicate withthe functional device[s] 20* that transmitted the beacon signals.

A second way of determining which functional devices 20* are withincommunication range[s] 50* of the wearable computing device 10* and/orwhich of the functional devices 20* that are detected near the wearablecomputing device 10* are nearest to the wearable computing device 10* isby having the wearable computing device 10* to transmit one or morelow-power “prompting” signals at various levels of low transmissionpower and wait to see if any of the functional devices 20* respond tothe prompting signals after each transmission of the prompting signalsat each level of low transmission power. For example, the wearablecomputing device 10* may initially transmit first prompting signals at avery low transmit power (0.1 milliwatt of transmit power) that aredesigned to, upon being received/detected by a functional device 20*,prompt the functional device 20* that detects the first promptingsignals to transmit back to the wearable computing device 10* one ormore “responsive” signals. After the transmission of the first promptingsignals, the wearable computing device 10* may monitor for the one ormore responsive signals in order to determine whether any functionaldevices 20* are nearby.

If the wearable computing device 10* does not detect any responsivesignals from a functional device 20* and/or if there is a need to findmore functional devices 20* (that may be further away from the wearablecomputing device 10*) then the wearable computing device 10* may repeatthe above process by transmitting a second prompting signal at a highertransmit power (e.g., 0.2 milliwatt of transmit power) than the firstprompting signal and then monitoring for responsive signals. Thisprocess may then be repeated over and over again for incrementallyhigher transmit powers in order to determine whether there are anyfunctional devices 20* near the wearable computing device 10* withindifferent communication ranges 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,to determine the amount of power needed to communicate with thosefunctional devices 20* found nearby, and/or to determine whichfunctional devices 20* are nearest to the wearable computing device 10*when multiple functional devices 20* are located nearby. In some cases,this process of transmitting prompting signals and monitoring forresponsive signals may be part of a handshaking protocol.

In some embodiments, two different processes may be executed in orderfor the wearable computing device 10* to obtain one or morefunctionalities from one or more functional devices 20* that are locatedwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*.The first process involves determining whether there are any functionaldevices 20* located within the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10*. If multiple functional devices 20* that providesimilar or the same functionalities are detected within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* then asecond process may be implemented that selects, from the multiplefunctional devices 20* detected within the communication range 50* ofthe wearable computing device 10*, one or more functional devices 20*for providing to the wearable computing device 10* one or morefunctionalities. Various criteria may be used in order to select whichof the plurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as beingwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*should provide the one or more specific functionalities to the wearablecomputing device 10*. For example, in some cases, the functional device20* that is determined to be nearest to the wearable computing device10* may be selected in some cases in order to minimize the powerrequirements for communicating with such a device. In other cases, thefunctional device 20* that provides the highest data transfer rate maybe selected. In yet other cases, the specific locations of the nearbyfunctional devices 20* may be the basis for selecting which nearbyfunctional device 20* should be selected for providing to the wearablecomputing device 10* one or more specific functionalities. Other factorsfor selecting one or more functional devices 20* for providing one ormore functionalities to the wearable computing device 10* will bedescribed in greater detail herein.

FIG. 1C illustrates how the wearable computing device 10* maycommunicate with a plurality of functional devices 20* that are withinthe communication range 50 d of the wearable computing device 10*. Asdescribed previously, a communication range 50 d of the wearablecomputing device 10* may be a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device 10* and that is externally defined (e.g., enclosed) byan enveloping boundary 52 d, where low-power signals (e.g., signalstransmitted with less than 0.5 or 0.8 milliwatt of transmit power)transmitted via an antenna 130 (e.g., directional or omnidirectionalantenna) being discernible over background noise (e.g., noise as aresult of background radiation) within the enveloping boundary 52 d andnot discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary 52d.

In various embodiments, in order to determine whether there are aplurality of functional devices 20* (e.g., two or more functionaldevices 20*) within the communication range 50 d of the wearablecomputing device 10*, the wearable computing device 10* throughtransceiver 118 and an antenna 130 (see FIG. 4A or 4B) may be controlledor directed to initially receive or monitor for signals 80 transmittedby the plurality of functional devices 20*. In some embodiments, thesignals 80 that are received by the wearable computing device 10* may bebeacon signals that were transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices 20* with known amounts of transmit powers. In such cases, thesignal strengths of the beacon signals, upon being received by thewearable computing device 10*, may be ascertained in order to, amongother things, determine whether the plurality of functional devices 20*are within the communication range 50 d of the wearable computing device10*, to determine the amount of transmission power needed by thewearable computing device 10* to communicate with each of the pluralityof functional devices 20*, and/or to determine which of the functionaldevices 20* are nearest to the wearable computing device 10* (e.g.,requires least amount of power to communicate with the wearablecomputing device 10*).

In alternative embodiments, the signals 80 that are received by thewearable computing device 10* may be responsive signals that weretransmitted by the plurality of functional devices 20* in response tothe plurality of functional devices 20* receiving/detecting one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 (e.g., signals that are designed toprompt functional devices 20*, upon receiving/detecting the promptingsignals, to transmit responsive signals) broadcasted by the wearablecomputing device 10*. In some embodiments, by merely detecting theresponsive signals (e.g., signals 80) transmitted by the plurality offunctional devices 20*, a determination can be made that the pluralityof functional devices 20* are within the communication range 50 d of thewearable computing device 10*. If multiple functional devices 20*transmit multiple responsive signals in response to the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82, then the wearable computing device 10*may determine which of the functional devices 20* are nearest to thewearable computing device 10* based on the detected signal strengths ofthe responsive signals (e.g., signals 80) received by the wearablecomputing device 10*. Note that shown at the bottom left side of FIG. 1Cis one or more low-power promoting signals 82 that has a range only upto the edge (e.g., enveloping boundary 52 d) of the communication range50 d.

In some embodiments, the wearable computing device 10* (or at least itscomponents such as the transceiver 118) may be directed (e.g.,controlled or instructed) to transmit the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 at different levels of transmit powers. Thewearable computing device 10* may also be directed (e.g., controlled,instructed, or configured) to monitor for responsive signals (e.g., oneor more signals 80 of FIG. 1C) transmitted by a plurality of functionaldevices 20* in response to the plurality of functional devices 20*detecting the one or more low-power prompting signals 82 transmitted atvarying levels of transmit powers. Such operations may be executed, insome cases, in order to see which of the functional devices 20* is orare closest to the wearable computing device 10* based on how the nearbyfunctional devices 20* respond to the prompting signals 82 transmittedby the wearable computing device 10* at varying transmit powers. Thatis, an inference may be made in some cases that those functional devices20* that respond to prompting signals 82 that were transmitted by thewearable computing device 10* at relatively low transmit powers may becloser to the wearable computing device 10* (and thus requires lesspower to communicate with) than those functional devices 20* thatrespond only when the wearable computing device 10* transmits theprompting signals 82 at relatively higher levels of transmit powers.

In some embodiments, the wearable computing device 10* (e.g., thecomponents of the wearable computing device 10*) may be directed (e.g.,controlled, instructed, or configured) to transmit one or more low-powerquery signals 84 to query each of a plurality of functional devices 20*that are detected to be near the wearable computing device 10* (e.g.,detected to be within the communication range 50 d of the wearablecomputing device 10*) to provide certain information or confirmationsthat may be useful in determining which functional device 20* should beused in order to provide to the wearable computing device 10* one ormore functionalities. For example, in some cases, the low-power querysignals 84 that may be transmitted to the plurality of functionaldevices 20* that are detected as being within the communication range 50d of the wearable computing device 10* may be transmitted in order toobtain confirmation (e.g., in the form of one or more confirmationsignals 85) that the functional devices 20* can provide one or morespecific functionalities (e.g., ability to communicate beyond thecommunication range 50 d of the wearable computing device 10*, sensorfunctionalities, and so forth) that may be sought by the wearablecomputing device 10*. If the plurality of nearby functional devices 20*can confirm that they can indeed provide the one or more specificfunctionalities, then in various embodiments the functional devices 20*may transmit back to the wearable computing device 10* confirmationsignals 85 to confirm the availability of the one or more specificfunctionalities through the functional devices 20*.

Other types of information/confirmations may also be sought through thelow-power query signals 84 as will be further described herein withrespect to the process and operations to be described herein. Forexample, in some cases the low-power query signals 84 may be transmittedto multiple functional devices 20* in order to, among other things,obtain indications of the data transfer rates of the communication links90* available through the plurality of functional devices 20* (e.g.,functional devices 20 a and 20 b, which may also be referred to as“external linking devices” that are designed to communicate beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*), obtainindications of the specific types of data (e.g., whether image data ofuser's hand/fingers are available) that may be available through thefunctionalities (e.g., sensor functionalities) provided through themultiple functional devices 20*, obtain indications as to when the oneor more functionalities that are available through the multiplefunctional devices 20* will actually become available for use by thewearable computing device 10*, and so forth.

In some embodiments, the above described processes for detectingpresence of a plurality of functional devices 20* within thecommunication range 50 d of the wearable computing device 10* and theprocess for determining whether those functional devices 20* detected asbeing within the communication range 50 d can provide one or morespecific functionalities can be combined into a single process. That is,in various alternative embodiments, the wearable computing device 10*may be directed to broadcast the low-power query signals 84 and thendirected to monitor for confirmation signals 85 transmitted by aplurality of functional devices 20* in response to the plurality offunctional devices 20* detecting the low-power query signals 84. If thewearable computing device 10* detects confirmation signals 85transmitted by a plurality of functional devices 20*, then adetermination can be made that the responding functional devices 20*associated with the confirmation signals 85 are within the communicationrange 50 d of the wearable computing device 10* as well as, among otherthings, confirmation that the responding functional devices 20* canprovide at least access to one or more specific functionalities.

Turning now to FIG. 1D, which illustrates how the wearable computingdevice 10* may exchange data with one or more functional devices 20*after the one or more functional devices 20* have been selected forproviding one or more functionalities to the wearable computing device10*. In various embodiments, and as previous described, each of the oneor more functional devices 20* that are detected being within thecommunication range 50 d of the wearable computing device 10* may alsobe able to provide to the wearable computing device 10* the samefunctionalities. In order to utilize the functionalities availablethrough the one or more functional devices 20*, the wearable computingdevice 10* may, in some embodiments, transmit to the one or morefunctional devices 20* outbound data 86* (e.g., outbound data 86 a,outbound data 86 b, and/or outbound data 86 c). Alternatively oradditionally, the wearable computing device 10* in order to utilize theone or more functionalities may receive inbound data 87* (e.g., inbounddata 87 a, inbound data 87 b, and/or inbound data 87 c) from thefunctional devices 20*.

The outbound data 86* that may be transmitted by the wearable computingdevice 10* to the one or more selected functional devices 20* mayinclude a variety of information/data in various alternativeembodiments. For example, in various embodiments, the outbound data 86*may include one or more addresses such as URLs (uniform resourcelocators), one or more web-based application commands/requests, one ormore electronic messages (e.g., telephone calls, emails text messages,instant messages, and so forth), and so forth. The outbound data 86*that may be transmitted by the wearable computing device 10* may be inthe form of one or more low-power signals 70* (see FIG. 1A or 1B)transmitted using one or more frequencies from, for example, the 2.4 GHzfrequency band (e.g., frequency range between 2.400 GHz and 2.4835 GHz),5 GHz frequency band (e.g., frequency range between 5.180 GHz and 5.825GHz), or 60 GHz frequency band (e.g., frequency range between 57 GHz and64 GHz).

The inbound data 87* that may be received by the one or more selectedfunctional devices 20* may also include a variety of information/data invarious alternative embodiments. For example, in various embodiments,the inbound data 87* may include one or more electronic messages (e.g.,telephone calls, emails text messages, instant messages, and so forth),one or more web-based application GUIs (graphical user interfaces), oneor more results of executing one or more web-based applications, contentfrom consumer media such as news or movies, sensor data includingvisual, audio, and/or movement data, and so forth. Additionaldiscussions related to the outbound data 86* and the inbound data 87*will be provided below with respect to the processes/operations to bedescribed herein.

FIG. 2A illustrates exemplary computing glasses 12, which is one formthat the wearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D (aswell as FIG. 4A or 4B) may take on in accordance with variousembodiments. The computing glasses 12, in various embodiments, may be anaugmented reality (AR) system or device. The computing glasses 12 maycomprise a see-through display 202, a camera 204, an electronic housing206 (which houses the electronics), and/or a frame that comprises aright temple piece 208 a, a left temple piece 208 b, and a rim 209. Theright temple piece 208 a and the left temple piece 208 b are designed toextend to and wrap around the ears of the user and to couple thecomputing glasses 12 to the head of the user. Note that in alternativeimplementations, the wearable computing device 10* may take on the formof computing goggles rather than computing glasses 12, where thecomputing goggles employ a “regular” display such as a light emittingdiode (LED) display rather than a see-through display 202. Note furtherthat in some cases, a wearable computing device 10* may comprise merelythe electronic housing 206 and the electronics housed by the electronichousing 206, the see-through display 202, the camera 204, and a couplingcomponent such as a clip 207 for coupling to a frame (e.g., the rim 209and the right temple piece 208 a and the left temple piece 208 b). Thatis, the rim 209 and the right and left temple pieces 208* are optionaland may not necessarily be required in various alternative embodiments.

FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary computing watch 14, which is anotherform that the wearable computing device 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D(as well as FIG. 4A or 4B) may take on in accordance with variousembodiments. The computing watch 14 includes at least a display 210 anda wristband 212 for wrapping around the wrist/arm of a user (e.g.,coupling with the limb of the user). The display 210 may be a variety ofdisplays including, for example, an LED display or liquid crystaldisplay (LCD). In some embodiments, the wearable computing device 10*may comprise merely the watch portion of the computing watch 14 withoutthe wristband 212 and one or more coupling components that couples withthe wristband 212 (e.g., the wristband 212 portion of the computingwatch is optional). Note that both forms of the wearable computingdevice 10* illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 2A and 2B (e.g., computingglasses 12 or computing watch 14) include one or more components (e.g.,the right temple piece 208 a, the left temple piece 208 b, and the rim209 of the computing glasses 12, a clip 207 of the computing glasses 12,or the wristband 212 of the computing watch 14) to facilitate couplingthe wearable computing device 10* to at least a portion of a user'sbody.

In some embodiments, a wearable computing device 10* may employ only asingle directional antenna 130 (see FIG. 4A or 4B) that may be used tocommunicate with one or more nearby functional devices 20*. In variousembodiments, the antenna 130 that may be employed may be anomnidirectional antenna, or alternatively, a directional antenna such asa metamaterial antenna (see, for example, U.S. Patent Application Pub.No. 2012/0194399, which is hereby incorporated by reference).

In various embodiments, a wearable computing device 10* may wirelesslycommunicate with one or more functional devices 20* that are locatedwithin communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* viaone or more low-power wireless signals having one or more frequenciesfrom at least one of a variety of frequency bands. For example, in someembodiments, the wearable computing device 10* may communicate withnearby functional devices 20* via one or more low-power signals 70*having one or more frequencies from the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientificand medical (ISM) frequency band, which has a frequency range from 2.4GHz to 2.4835 GHz. Alternatively, the wearable computing device 10* maycommunicate with nearby functional devices 20* via one or more low-powersignals 70* having one or more frequencies from the 5 GHz ISM frequencyband or the 5 GHz U-NII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure)frequency band with a frequency range between 5.180 GHz and 5.825 GHz.In still other alternative embodiments, the wearable computing device10* may communicate with nearby functional devices 20* via one or morelow-power signals 70* having one or more frequencies from the 60 GHzband (e.g., millimeter waveband or mmWave band with a frequency rangebetween 57 and 64 GHz (U.S) or between 57 and 66 GHz (Japan andEurope)).

Note that the 60 GHz frequency band provides certain advantages over theother two frequency bands. For example, signals from the 60 GHzfrequency band tend to attenuate very quickly in nominal environmentalconditions (e.g., gets easily absorbed by materials, moisture, etc.) andtherefore when used for communicating by a wearable computing device 10*may cause the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device10* to be relatively small (which may be desirable in some cases inorder to avoid overlapping with adjacent communication ranges of otherdevices). Further, higher data rates are possible using the 60 GHzfrequency band rather than the two lower frequency bands (2.4 GHzfrequency band and the 5 GHz frequency band).

In various embodiments, a communication range 50* that envelopes awearable computing device 10* may be a spatial volume that includes thewearable computing device 10* and that is externally defined or enclosedby an enveloping boundary 52*, where low-power wireless signalsgenerated by the wearable computing device 10* being discernible overbackground noise (e.g., background electromagnetic radiation noise)within the enveloping boundary 52* and not discernible over backgroundnoise outside the enveloping boundary 52*. In various embodiments,reference in the following to “low-power signals” may be in reference towireless signals that were transmitted using less than 1 milliwatt oftransmitting power. In some cases, low-power signals 70* (see FIG. 1A or1B) may be, for example, wireless signals that were transmitting with0.8 milliwatt, 0.5 milliwatt, 0.3 milliwatt, or less than 0.3 milliwattof transmit power.

In various embodiments, the low-power signals 70* that may define theenveloping boundary 52* of a communication range 50* may be the maximumlow-power wireless signals that may be allowed to be transmitted by thewearable computing device 10*. That is, in order to keep the size of acommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* relativelysmall and to keep power consumption relatively low, the logic endowed inthe wearable computing device 10* may restrict the transmission power ofwireless signals transmitted by the wearable computing device 10*.

Turning now to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, which illustrate some exemplarygraphical user interfaces (GUIs) that the wearable computing device 10*may present through a display (e.g., liquid crystal display) when thewearable computing device 10* is in the form of a computing watch 14.Turning particularly now to FIG. 3A, which illustrates an exemplary GUI300 a that includes three icons 304 representing three differentapplications that may be available through the wearable computing device10*. Note that at least some of the applications (e.g., browser or emailapplication) that may be provided through the wearable computing device10* may only be available only if the wearable computing device 10* isable to communicate beyond the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10* via one or more functional devices 20*.

FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary GUI 300 b that may be displayed by thewearable computing device 10*. In particular, the exemplary GUI 300 bincludes an icon 306 b that represents an application (e.g., localweather reporting application) and that is being displayed in a firstformat (e.g., semi-transparent) that indicates that the application isdisabled. That is, the associated application (e.g., local weatherreporting application) may be fully executable only if the wearablecomputing device 10* has obtained access to communication links 90* tobeyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*.In contrast, the GUI 300 c of FIG. 3C may be displayed by the wearablecomputing device 10* once the wearable computing device 10* is able tocommunicate beyond the communication range 50* via the one or morefunctional devices 20*. The GUI 300 c includes icon 306 c, which issimilar or the same as icon 306 b of FIG. 3B except that icon 306 cbeing in a second format (e.g., bolded) that indicates that theassociated application (e.g., local weather reporting application) isnow functional or executable as a result of the wearable computingdevice 10* establishing a communication link 90* to beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* via the oneor more functional devices 20*.

Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B, illustrating two block diagramsrepresenting two different implementations of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D and that are designed to executethe operations and processes to be described herein. In particular, andas will be further described herein, FIG. 4A illustrates a wearablecomputing device 10′ that is the “hardwired” or “hard” implementation ofa small form-factor wearable device that can implement the operationsand processes to be described herein. The wearable computing device 10′may comprise certain logic modules including, for example, a functionaldevice presence sensing module 102′, a functional device choosing module104′, and/or a functionality use facilitating module 106′ that areimplemented using purely hardware or circuitry components (e.g.,application specific integrated circuit or “ASIC”). In contrast, FIG. 4Billustrates a wearable computing device 10″ that is the “soft”implementation of a small form-factor wearable device that can implementthe operations and processes to be described herein. In variousembodiments, the wearable computing device 10″ may also include certainlogic modules including, for example, a functional device presencesensing module 102″, a functional device choosing module 104″, and/or afunctionality use facilitating module 106″ that are implemented usingelectronic circuitry (e.g., one or more processors 116 including one ormore microprocessors, controllers, etc.) executing one or moreprogramming instructions (e.g., software in the form of computerreadable instructions 152—see FIG. 4B).

The embodiments of the wearable computing device 10* illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B are two extreme implementations of a small form-factorwearable system in which all of the logic modules (e.g., the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102′, the functional device choosingmodule 104′, and the functionality use facilitating module 106′) areimplemented using purely hardware solutions (e.g., circuitry such asASIC) as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 4A or in which all of thelogic modules (e.g., the functional device presence sensing module 102″,the functional device choosing module 104″, and the functionality usefacilitating module 106″) are implemented using software solutions(e.g., programmable instructions in the form of computer readableinstructions 152 being executed by hardware such as one or moreprocessors 116) as illustrated in, for example, FIG. 4B. Since there aremany ways of combining hardware, software, and/or firmware in order toimplement the various logic modules (e.g., the functional devicepresence sensing module 102*, the functional device choosing module104*, and the functionality use facilitating module 106*), only the twoextreme implementations (e.g., the purely hardware solution asillustrated in FIG. 4A and the software solution of FIG. 4B) areillustrated here. It should be noted here that with respect to the“soft” implementation illustrated in FIG. 4B, hardware in the form ofcircuitry such as one or more processors 116 are still needed in orderto execute the software. Further details related to the twoimplementations of the wearable computing device 10* illustrated inFIGS. 4A and 4B will be provided in greater detail below.

In still other implementations, the wearable computing device 10* maynot actually include the various logic modules (e.g., the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102*, the functional device choosingmodule 104*, and the functionality use facilitating module 106*) thatimplements the various operations/processes described herein. Instead,such logic modules may be located in a remote device such as at anotherdevice located near the wearable computing device 10* (e.g., anothercomputing device located within the communication range 50* of thewearable computing device 10*). In such implementations, the otherdevice having the various logic may direct or control the wearablecomputing device 10* to perform at least some of the processes andoperations to be described herein.

In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as“configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable/operativeto,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,”“designed to,” etc. Those skilled in the art will recognize that suchterms (e.g., “configured to”) generally encompass active-statecomponents and/or inactive-state components and/or standby-statecomponents, unless context requires otherwise.

Referring particularly now to FIG. 4A, which illustrates a block diagramof an wearable computing device 10′ that includes a functional devicepresence sensing module 102′, a functional device choosing module 104′,a functionality use facilitating module 106′, memory 114, user interface112 (e.g., a display, a speaker, and so forth), one or more processors116 (e.g., one or more microprocessors), transceiver 118, one or moresensors 120, and an antenna 130 (e.g., a directional antenna such as ametamaterial antenna, or an omnidirectional antenna). In variousembodiments, the memory 114 may store one or more applications 154(e.g., communication applications such as email, instant messaging, textmessaging, and VoIP applications, personal information managerapplication such as Microsoft Outlook, gaming applications, productivityapplications, and so forth). The one or more sensors 120 that may beincluded in the wearable computing device 10′ may include, for example,one or more audio sensors (e.g., microphones), one or more visualsensors (e.g., cameras), one or more myoelectric sensors, and so forth.

In various embodiments, the functional device presence sensing module102′ of FIG. 4A is a logic module that may be designed to, among otherthings, detect or sense presence of a plurality of functional devices20* within communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10′,the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10′ being aspatial volume that includes the wearable computing device 10′ and beingexternally defined by an enveloping boundary 52*, where low-powersignals 70* transmitted by the wearable computing device 10′ beingdiscernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary 52* andnot discernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary52*. In contrast, the functional device choosing module 104′ of FIG. 4Ais a logic module that may be configured to choose or select, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were sensed to be within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10′, one ormore functional devices 20* for providing to the wearable computingdevice 10′ one or more functionalities. The functionality usefacilitating module 106′ of FIG. 4A, on the other hand, is a logicmodule that may be configured to facilitate the wearable computingdevice 10′ to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one ormore chosen or selected functional devices 20*.

Turning now to FIG. 4B, which illustrates a block diagram of anotherwearable computing device 10″ that can implement the operations andprocesses to be described herein. As indicated earlier, the wearablecomputing device 10″ in FIG. 4B is merely the “soft” version of thewearable computing device 10′ of FIG. 4A because the various logicmodules: the functional device presence sensing module 102″, thefunctional device choosing module 104″, and the functionality usefacilitating module 106″ are implemented using one or more processors116 (e.g., one or more microprocessors or controllers) executingsoftware (e.g., computer readable instructions 152) rather than beingimplemented using purely hardware (e.g., ASIC) solutions as was the casein the wearable computing device 10′ of FIG. 4A. Thus, the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102″, the functional device choosingmodule 104″, and the functionality use facilitating module 106″ of FIG.4B may be designed to execute the same functions as the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102′, the functional device choosingmodule 104′, and the functionality use facilitating module 106′ of FIG.4A. The wearable computing device 10″, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, mayinclude other components (e.g., the user interface 112, the transceiver118, directional antenna 130, memory 114 that stores one or moreapplications 154 as well as the computer readable instructions 152, andso forth) that are the same or similar to the other components that maybe included in the wearable computing device 10′ of FIG. 4A. Note thatin the embodiment of the wearable computing device 10″ illustrated inFIG. 4B, the various logic modules (e.g., the functional device presencesensing module 102″, the functional device choosing module 104″, and thefunctionality use facilitating module 106″) may be implemented by theone or more processors 116 (or other types of circuitry such as fieldprogrammable gate arrays or FPGAs) executing one or more computerreadable instructions 152 stored in memory 114.

In various embodiments, the memory 114 of the wearable computing device10′ of FIG. 4A and the wearable computing device 10″ of FIG. 4B maycomprise one or more of mass storage device, read-only memory (ROM),programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-onlymemory (EPROM), cache memory such as random access memory (RAM), flashmemory, synchronous random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random accessmemory (DRAM), and/or other types of memory devices.

Turning now to FIG. 5A illustrating a particular implementation of thefunctional device presence sensing module 102* (e.g., the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102′ or the functional device presencesensing module 102″) of FIGS. 4A and 4B. As illustrated, the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102* may include one or more sub-logicmodules in various alternative implementations. For example, in variousembodiments, the functional device presence sensing module 102* mayinclude a low-power prompting signal broadcasting device directingmodule 502 (which may further include a transmitting antenna controllingmodule 506), a responsive signal monitoring device directing module 504(which may further include a receiving antenna controlling module 508),a beacon signals detecting device controlling module 510, a poweroptimal functional device ascertaining module 512 (which may furtherinclude a signal strength ascertaining module 514), a functional devicerelative location ascertaining module 516 (which may further include adirectional antenna control module 518), a low-power query signaltransmit directing module 520, and/or a confirmation signal monitordirecting module 530. Specific details related to the functional devicepresence sensing module 102* as well as the above-described sub-modulesof the functional device presence sensing module 102* will be providedbelow with respect to the operations and processes to be describedherein.

Turning now to FIG. 5B illustrating a particular implementation of thefunctional device choosing module 104* (e.g., the functional devicechoosing module 104′ or the functional device choosing module 104″) ofFIGS. 4A and 4B. As illustrated, the functional device choosing module104* may include one or more sub-logic modules in various alternativeimplementations. For example, in various embodiments, the functionaldevice choosing module 104* may include a least communication powerrequirement determining module 540, an earliest functionality accessdetermining module 542, a relative device location determining module544, a commonly associated user determining module 546, a highest datatransfer rate determining module 548, an application access determiningmodule 550, a sensor data based functional device choosing module 552, acommunication link providing device choosing module 554, and/or a sensorfunctionality providing device choosing module 556. Specific detailsrelated to the functional device choosing module 104* as well as theabove-described sub-modules of the functional device choosing module104* will be provided below with respect to the operations and processesto be described herein.

FIG. 5C illustrates a particular implementation of the functionality usefacilitating module 106* (e.g., the functionality use facilitatingmodule 106′ or the functionality use facilitating module 106″) of FIG.4A or 4B. As illustrated, the functionality use facilitating module 106*may include one or more sub-logic modules in various alternativeembodiments. For example, in various embodiments, the functionality usefacilitating module 106* may include an outbound data transmitfacilitating module 558 (which may further include a component directingmodule 560) and/or an inbound data receive facilitating module 562(which may further include a component directing module 564). Note thatin some embodiments, the component directing module 560 and thecomponent directing module 564 may be the same common module. Specificdetails related to the functionality use facilitating module 106*, aswell as the above-described sub-modules of the functionality usefacilitating module 106*, will be provided below with respect to theoperations and processes to be described herein.

A more detailed discussion related to the wearable computing device 10*(e.g., the wearable computing device 10′ of FIG. 4A or the wearablecomputing device 10″ of FIG. 4B) discussed above will now be providedwith respect to the processes and operations to be described herein.FIG. 6 illustrates an operational flow 600 representing examplecomputationally-implemented operations that may be implemented for,among other things, detecting or sensing presence of a plurality offunctional devices 20* within the limited communication range 50* of awearable computing device 10* having relatively small form-factor; andselecting or choosing from the plurality of functional devices 20* thatwere detected or sensed to be present within the limited communicationrange 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, one or more functionaldevices 20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* one ormore functionalities (e.g., communication links to beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, sensorfunctionalities, GPS functionalities, and so forth). In variousimplementations, these operations may be implemented through thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B (as well as FIG. 1A, 1B,1C, or 1D).

In FIG. 6 and in the following figures that include various examples ofoperational flows, discussions and explanations will be provided withrespect to the wearable computing device 10* described above and asillustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 5C, and/or with respect to otherexamples (e.g., as provided in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and3C) and contexts. However, it should be understood that the operationalflows may be executed in a number of other environments and contexts,and/or in modified versions of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 3C,4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, and/or 5C. Also, although the various operational flowsare presented in the sequence(s) illustrated, it should be understoodthat the various operations may be performed in orders other than thosewhich are illustrated, or may be performed concurrently.

Further, in FIG. 6 and in the figures to follow thereafter, variousoperations may be depicted in a box-within-a-box manner. Such depictionsmay indicate that an operation in an internal box may comprise anoptional example embodiment of the operational step illustrated in oneor more external boxes. However, it should be understood that internalbox operations may be viewed as independent operations separate from anyassociated external boxes and may be performed in any sequence withrespect to all other illustrated operations, or may be performedconcurrently. Still further, these operations illustrated in FIG. 6 aswell as the other operations to be described herein are performed by atleast one of a machine, an article of manufacture, or a composition ofmatter unless indicated otherwise.

For ease of understanding, the flowcharts are organized such that theinitial flowcharts present implementations via an example implementationand thereafter the following flowcharts present alternateimplementations and/or expansions of the initial flowchart(s) as eithersub-component operations or additional component operations building onone or more earlier-presented flowcharts. Those having skill in the artwill appreciate that the style of presentation utilized herein (e.g.,beginning with a presentation of a flowchart(s) presenting an exampleimplementation and thereafter providing additions to and/or furtherdetails in subsequent flowcharts) generally allows for a rapid and easyunderstanding of the various process implementations. In addition, thoseskilled in the art will further appreciate that the style ofpresentation used herein also lends itself well to modular and/orobject-oriented program design paradigms.

In any event, after a start operation, the operational flow 600 of FIG.6 may move to a functional device presence detecting operation 602 fordetecting presence of a plurality of functional devices withincommunication range of a wearable computing device, the communicationrange being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing deviceand being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-powersignals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary. For instance, andas illustration, the functional device presence sensing module 102* ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B (e.g., the functionaldevice presence sensing module 102′ of FIG. 4A or the functional devicepresence sensing module 102″ of FIG. 4B) detecting or sensing presenceof a plurality of (e.g., two or more) functional devices 20* withincommunication range 50* of a wearable computing device 10*, thecommunication range 50* (see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B) being aspatial volume that includes the wearable computing device 10* and beingexternally defined by an enveloping boundary 52* (see, for example, FIG.1A or 1B), where low-power signals 70* (see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B)transmitted by the wearable computing device 10* being discernible overbackground noise within the enveloping boundary 52* and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary 52*. Note thatreferences in the following to “low-power” such as, for example, the oneor more “low-power” signals 70* (or similar such phrases such as the“low-power” prompting signals 82 or the “low-power” query signals 84)may be in reference to the relatively low amount of transmit power(e.g., less than 0.8 milliwatt) used to wirelessly transmit suchsignals. As described earlier, a functional device 20* may be any devicethat can provide one or more functionalities (e.g., ability tocommunicate beyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computingdevice 10*, sensor functionalities, GPS functionalities, and so forth)that may be needed or sought by wearable computing device 10*.

Operational flow 600 may also include a functional device selectingoperation 604 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice one or more functionalities. For instance, the functional devicechoosing module 104* (e.g., the functional device choosing module 104′of FIG. 4A or the functional device choosing module 104″ of FIG. 4B) ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting orchoosing, from the plurality of functional devices 20* that weredetected or sensed to be present within the communication range 50* ofthe wearable computing device 10*, one or more functional devices 20*for providing to the wearable computing device 10* one or morefunctionalities (e.g., a communication link 90* to beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* or one ormore sensor functionalities such visual, audio, and/or movement sensorfunctionalities). For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1A,selecting functional device 20 a for providing to the wearable computingdevice 10* a communication link 90 a to beyond the communication range50* of the wearable computing device 10*.

As will be described below, the functional device presence detectingoperation 602 and the functional device selecting operation 604 may beexecuted in a variety of different ways in various alternativeimplementations. FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, 7G, 7H, 7J, and 7K, forexample, illustrate at least some of the alternative ways that thefunctional device presence detecting operation 602 of FIG. 6 may beexecuted in various alternative implementations. In some cases, forexample, the functional device presence detecting operation 602 mayinclude an operation 702 for detecting the presence of the plurality offunctional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device by detecting presence of a plurality of functionaldevices within the communication range of the wearable computing devicebased, at least in part, on plurality of signals transmitted by theplurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computingdevice as illustrated in FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7E, 7F, and 7G. Forinstance, the functional device presence sensing module 102* of thewearable computing device 10* (e.g., the wearable computing device 10′of FIG. 4A or the wearable computing device 10″ of FIG. 4B) detectingthe presence of the plurality of functional devices 20* within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* bydetecting or sensing presence of a plurality of functional devices 20*(e.g., functional devices 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, and1D) within the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device10* based, at least in part, on plurality of signals 80 (see, forexample, FIG. 1C) transmitted by the plurality of functional devices 20*and received (e.g., detected) by the wearable computing device 10*.

In various implementations, operation 702 may further include one ormore additional operations including, in some implementations, anoperation 703 a for directing the wearable computing device to broadcastone or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when oneor more functional devices detect the one or more low-power promptingsignals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one ormore responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or morefunctional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals and anoperation 703 b for directing the wearable computing device to monitorfor the plurality of signals, the plurality of signals being a pluralityof responsive signals that acknowledges that the plurality of functionaldevices detected the one or more low-power prompting signals asillustrated, for example, in FIG. 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, or 7E. For instance,the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module 502 (see FIG.5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* (e.g., controlling or instructing one ormore components of the wearable computing device 10* such as thetransceiver 118) to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals 82(see, for example, FIG. 1C) that are designed to, when one or morefunctional devices 20* detect the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82, prompt the one or more functional devices 20* to generateone or more responsive signals (e.g., signals 80 of FIG. 1C) toacknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices 20* of theone or more low-power prompting signals 82. The responsive signalmonitor directing module 504 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B may then direct the wearable computing device 10* (e.g.,control or instruct one or more components of the wearable computingdevice 10* such as the transceiver 118) to monitor for the plurality ofsignals 80, the plurality of signals 80 being a plurality of responsivesignals that acknowledges that the plurality of functional devices 20*detected the one or more low-power prompting signals 82.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7A, in some cases, operation 703 a mayfurther include or involve an operation 704 for directing the wearablecomputing device to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals by directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the oneor more low-power prompting signals using less than 0.8 milliwatt oftransmit power. For instance, the low-power prompting signal broadcastdirecting module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast or transmitthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 by directing (e.g.,controlling or instructing) the wearable computing device 10* tobroadcast, via an antenna 130 (e.g., directional or omnidirectionalantenna), the one or more low-power prompting signals 82 using less than0.8 milliwatt of transmit power.

In some implementations, the operation 703 a may actually include orinvolve an operation 705 for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals by directing thewearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals using less than 0.5 milliwatt of transmit power. Forinstance, the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module 502of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 by directing the wearable computing device 10* tobroadcast or transmit, via an antenna 130 such as a directional oromnidirectional antenna, the one or more low-power prompting signals 82using less than 0.5 milliwatt of transmit power. For example,instructing/controlling the transceiver 118 of the wearable computingdevice 10* and using a directional antenna in order to transmit the oneor more low-power prompting signals 82.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 703 a mayadditionally or alternatively include or involve an operation 706 fordirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals by directing the wearable computing deviceto broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals through adirectional antenna. For instance, the low-power prompting signalbroadcast directing module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 by directing the wearablecomputing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 through a directional antenna (e.g., antenna 130 of FIG. 4Aor 4B).

In some cases, operation 706 may further include or involve an operation707 for directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals through a directional antenna bypointing the directional antenna away from a user wearing the wearablecomputing device to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals and to minimize exposing the user to electromagnetic radiation.For instance, the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module502 including the transmitting antenna controlling module 506 (see FIG.5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 through a directional antenna (e.g., metamaterialantenna) when the transmitting antenna controlling module 506 points orcontrols the directional antenna (e.g., antenna 130) away from a userwearing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 and to minimize exposing the user toelectromagnetic radiation.

In various implementations, operation 703 a may include or involve anoperation 708 for directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals by directing the wearablecomputing device to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals through an omnidirectional antenna. For instance, the low-powerprompting signal broadcast directing module 502 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computingdevice 10* to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals 82by directing the wearable computing device 10* (e.g., controlling orinstructing the transceiver 118 of the wearable computing device 10*) tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals 82 through anomnidirectional antenna (e.g., antenna 130).

Turning now to FIG. 7B, in various implementations, operation 703 a mayinclude or involve an operation 709 for directing the wearable computingdevice to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals bydirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals through an antenna using different levels oftransmit power, where the one or more low-power prompting signals aretransmitted at each level of transmit power for predefined increment orincrements of time. For instance, the low-power prompting signalbroadcast directing module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 by directing the wearablecomputing device 10* (e.g., controlling or instructing one or morecomponents of the wearable computing device 10*) to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals 82 through an antenna 130 usingdifferent levels of transmit power, where the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 are transmitted at each level of transmit power forpredefined increment or increments of time. For example, initiallytransmitting the one or more low-power prompting signals 82 using 0.3milliwatt of transmit power for 0.1 microseconds, then transmitting theone or more low-power prompting signals 82 using 0.4 milliwatt oftransmit power for 0.1 microseconds, then transmitting the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 using 0.5 milliwatt of transmit power for0.1 microseconds, and so forth.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7B, in some implementations operation 709may further include or involve an operation 710 for directing thewearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals through an antenna using different levels of transmitpower by directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals using a first level of transmit powerand directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals using a second level of transmit power, thefirst level of transmit power being different from the second level oftransmit power. For instance, the low-power prompting signal broadcastdirecting module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals 82 through an antenna 130 usingdifferent levels of transmit power by directing or controlling thewearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals 10* using a first level of transmit power (e.g., 0.3milliwatt) and directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 using a second level oftransmit power (e.g., 5 milliwatt), the first level of transmit powerbeing different from the second level of transmit power.

In some cases, operation 710 may, in turn, further include or involve anoperation 711 for directing the wearable computing device to pausebroadcasting of the one or more low-power prompting signals afterbroadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signals using the firstlevel of transmit power and before broadcasting the one or morelow-power prompting signals using the second level of transmit power inorder to monitor for the one or more responsive signals that acknowledgedetection by the one or more functional devices of the one or morelow-power prompting signals that was transmitting using the first levelof transmit power. For instance, the low-power prompting signalbroadcast directing module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to pause(e.g., pause for 0.05 microseconds) broadcasting of the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 after broadcasting the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 using the first level of transmit power(e.g., 3 milliwatt) and before broadcasting the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 using the second level of transmit power (e.g., 0.5milliwatt) in order to monitor for the one or more responsive signals(e.g., signals 80) that acknowledge detection by the one or morefunctional devices 20* of the one or more low-power prompting signals 82that was transmitting using the first level of transmit power (e.g., 0.3milliwatt).

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 710 mayadditionally or alternatively include or involve an operation 712 fordirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals using the first level of transmit power anddirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals using the second level of transmit power byfurther directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals using a third level of transmit power,the third level of transmit power being different from the first levelof transmit power or the second level of transmit power. For instance,the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module 502 of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearablecomputing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 using the first level of transmit power (e.g., 0.3 milliwatt)and directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals 82 using the second level of transmitpower (e.g., 0.5 milliwatt) by further directing or controlling thewearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 using a third level of transmit power (e.g., 0.7milliwatt), the third level of transmit power being different from thefirst level of transmit power or the second level of transmit power.

In some cases, operation 712 may further include or involve an operation713 for directing the wearable computing device to pause broadcasting ofthe one or more low-power prompting signals after broadcasting the oneor more low-power prompting signals using the first level of transmitpower and before broadcasting the one or more low-power promptingsignals using the second level of transmit power in order to monitor forone or more responsive signals that acknowledge detection by one or morefunctional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signals thatwas transmitted using the first level of transmit power and directingthe wearable computing device to pause broadcasting of the one or morelow-power prompting signals after broadcasting the one or more low-powerprompting signals using the second level of transmit power and beforebroadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signals using the thirdlevel of transmit power in order to monitor for one or more responsivesignals that acknowledge detection by one or more functional devices ofthe one or more low-power prompting signals that was transmitting usingthe second level of transmit power as illustrated in FIG. 7C. Forinstance, the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module 502of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to pause (e.g., pause for 0.03microseconds) broadcasting of the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 after broadcasting the one or more low-power promptingsignals using the first level of transmit power (e.g., 0.3 milliwatt)and before broadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signals 82using the second level of transmit power (e.g., 0.5 milliwatt) in orderto monitor for one or more responsive signals (e.g., signals 80 of FIG.1C) that acknowledge detection by one or more functional devices 20* ofthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 that was transmittedusing the first level of transmit power (e.g., 0.3 milliwatt) anddirecting the wearable computing device 10* to pause (e.g., 0.03microseconds) broadcasting of the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 after broadcasting the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 using the second level of transmit power (e.g., 0.5milliwatt) and before broadcasting the one or more low-power promptingsignals 82 using the third level of transmit power (e.g., 0.7 milliwatt)in order to monitor for one or more responsive signals (e.g., signals 80of FIG. 1C) that acknowledge detection by one or more functional devices20* of the one or more low-power prompting signals 82 that wastransmitting using the second level of transmit power (e.g., 0.5milliwatt).

Referring to FIG. 7D, in the same or alternative implementations,operation 712 may additionally or alternatively include or involve anoperation 714 for directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using the first level oftransmit power, directing the wearable computing device to broadcast theone or more low-power prompting signals using the second level oftransmit power, and directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using the third level oftransmit power, where the first level of transmit power being a lowertransmit power than the second level of transmit power and the secondlevel of transmit power being a lower transmit power than the thirdlevel of transmit power. For instance, the low-power prompting signalbroadcast directing module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 using the first level oftransmit power (e.g., 0.2 milliwatt), directing the wearable computingdevice 10* to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals 82using the second level of transmit power (e.g., 0.4 milliwatt), anddirecting the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals 82 using the third level of transmit power(e.g., 0.6 milliwatt), where the first level of transmit power being alower transmit power than the second level of transmit power and thesecond level of transmit power being a lower transmit power than thethird level of transmit power.

Turning now to FIG. 7E, in various implementations, operation 703 a mayinclude or involve an operation 715 for directing the wearable computingdevice to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals bydirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals having one or more frequencies from afrequency band between 2.400 GHz and 2.4835 GHz or one or morefrequencies from a frequency band between 5.180 GHz and 5.825 GHz. Forinstance, the low-power prompting signal broadcast directing module 502of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals 82 by directing or controlling the wearable computingdevice 10* to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals 82having one or more frequencies from a frequency band between 2.400 GHzand 2.4835 GHz (e.g., the 2.4 GHz frequency band) or one or morefrequencies from a frequency band between 5.180 GHz and 5.825 GHz (e.g.,the 5 GHz frequency band).

In some alternative implementations, operation 703 a may include orinvolve an operation 716 for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals by directing thewearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals having one or more frequencies from a frequency bandbetween 57 GHz and 64 GHz. For instance, the low-power prompting signalbroadcast directing module 502 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals 82 by directing orcontrolling the wearable computing device 10* to broadcast the one ormore low-power prompting signals 82 having one or more frequencies froma frequency band between 57 GHz and 64 GHz (e.g., the 60 GHz frequencyband).

In various implementations, the operation 703 b for directing thewearable computing device to monitor for the plurality of signals, theplurality of signals being a plurality of responsive signals thatacknowledges that the plurality of functional devices detected the oneor more low-power prompting signals may actually include or involve anoperation 717 for directing the wearable computing device to monitor forthe plurality of responsive signals by directing the wearable computingdevice to monitor for the plurality of responsive signals using anantenna as further illustrated in FIG. 7E. For instance, the responsivesignal monitor directing module 504 of the wearable computing device 10*of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to monitorfor the plurality of responsive signals by directing the wearablecomputing device 10* (e.g., by controlling or instructing one or morecomponents of the wearable computing device 10*) to monitor for theplurality of responsive signals (e.g., signals 80 of FIG. 1C) using anantenna 130.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7E, operation 717 may, in turn, furtherinclude or involve an operation 718 for directing the wearable computingdevice to monitor for the plurality of responsive signals using theantenna by directing the wearable computing device to monitor for theplurality of responsive signals using a directional antenna. Forinstance, the responsive signal monitor directing module 504 of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearablecomputing device 10* to monitor for the plurality of responsive signalsusing the antenna 130 by directing the wearable computing device 10*(e.g., by controlling or instructing one or more components of thewearable computing device 10*) to monitor for the plurality ofresponsive signals (e.g., signals 80 of FIG. 1C) using a directionalantenna (e.g., metamaterial antenna).

In some implementations operation 718 may further include or involve anoperation 719 for directing the wearable computing device to monitor forthe plurality of responsive signals using the directional antenna bypointing the directional antenna at multiple directions in order tocapture the plurality of responsive signals. For instance, theresponsive signal monitor directing module 504 including the receivingantenna controlling module 508 (see FIG. 5A) of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10*to monitor for the plurality of responsive signals using the directionalantenna when the receiving antenna controlling module 508 points thedirectional antenna (e.g., metamaterial antenna) at multiple directionsin order to capture the plurality of responsive signals (e.g., signals80 of FIG. 7C).

As further illustrated in FIG. 7E, in some implementations, operation719 may further include or involve an operation 720 for pointing thedirectional antenna at multiple directions in order to capture theplurality of responsive signals by pointing the directional antenna awayfrom a user wearing the wearable computing device in order capture theplurality of responsive signals. For instance, the receiving antennacontrolling module 508 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B pointing the directional antenna at multiple directions in orderto capture the plurality of responsive signals by pointing thedirectional antenna (e.g., antenna 130 of FIG. 4A or 4B) away from auser wearing the wearable computing device 10* in order capture theplurality of responsive signals (e.g., signals 80 of FIG. 1C).

Turning now to FIG. 7F, in various implementations, the operation 702for detecting the presence of the plurality of functional devices withinthe communication range of the wearable computing device by detectingpresence of a plurality of functional devices within the communicationrange of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, onplurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devicesand received by the wearable computing device may include or involve anoperation 721 for detecting the presence of the plurality of functionaldevices within the communication range of the wearable computing devicebased, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by theplurality of functional devices and received by the wearable computingdevice by directing the wearable computing device to detect a pluralityof beacon signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices andthat are determined to have signal strengths greater than a predefinedamount of signal strength. For instance, the functional device presencesensing module 102* including the beacon signals detect controllingmodule 510 (see FIG. 5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B detecting the presence of the plurality of functional devices 20*within the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals 80 (see FIG. 1C forexample) transmitted by the plurality of functional devices 20* andreceived by the wearable computing device 10* when the beacon signalsdetect controlling module 510 directs or controls the wearable computingdevice 10* to detect a plurality of beacon signals (e.g., signals 80 ofFIG. 1C) transmitted by the plurality of functional devices 20* and thatare determined by, for example, the beacon signals detect controllingmodule 510 to have signal strengths greater than a predefined amount ofsignal strength. That is, in some cases, the strengths of the pluralityof beacon signals received by the wearable computing device 10* may beascertained in order to determine whether the plurality of functionaldevices 20* that transmitted the plurality of beacon signals are withinthe communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*. Insome cases, “beacon signals” are unsolicited signals that aretransmitted by functional devices 20*, which is in contrast to“responsive signals” that were previously described and which aretransmitted by functional devices 20* in response to the functionaldevices 20* detecting one or more low-power prompting signals 82.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 702 may include orinvolve an operation 722 for detecting presence of a plurality offunctional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by thewearable computing device including determining, based on the pluralityof signals, which one or more of the plurality of functional devicesrequires least amount of transmit power to communicate with by thewearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices.For instance, the functional device presence sensing module 102*including the power optimal functional device ascertaining module 512(see FIG. 5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bdetecting presence of a plurality of functional devices 20* within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* based, atleast in part, on plurality of signals 80 transmitted by the pluralityof functional devices 20* and received by the wearable computing device10* including determining, by the power optimal functional deviceascertaining module 512 and based on the plurality of signals 80, whichone or more of the plurality of functional devices 20* that weredetermined to be within the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10* requires least amount of transmit power tocommunicate with by the wearable computing device 10* amongst theplurality of functional devices 20*. That is, the nearer that aparticular functional device 20* is to the wearable computing device 10*the lessor amount of power may be needed by the wearable computingdevice 10* in order to communicate with the particular functional device20*.

In some cases, operation 722 may, in turn, further include or involve anoperation 723 for determining, based on the plurality of signals, whichone or more of the plurality of functional devices requires least amountof transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computing deviceby determining signal strengths of the plurality of signals. Forinstance, the power optimal functional device ascertaining module 512including the signal strength ascertaining module 514 (see FIG. 5A) ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B determining, based atleast in part on the plurality of signals 80 transmitted by theplurality of functional devices 20*, which one or more of the pluralityof functional devices 20* requires least amount of transmit power tocommunicate with by the wearable computing device 10* when the signalstrength ascertaining module 514 determines or ascertains signalstrengths of the plurality of signals 80 received by the wearablecomputing device 10*. For example, if the signal strength of a firstsignal 80 (that was transmitted by a first functional device 20 a)received by the wearable computing device 10* is determined to begreater than the signal strength of a second signal 80 (that wastransmitted by a second functional device 20 b) received by the wearablecomputing device 10*, then an inference may be made that less power willbe needed by the wearable computing device 10* in order to communicatewith the first functional device 20 a than the second functional device20 b. Of course, this inference can only be made if the first signal 80and the second signal 80 were transmitted by the first functional device20 a and the second functional device 20 b under similar or the sameconditions (e.g., transmitted using same transmit power and samefrequencies).

Referring to FIG. 7G, in the same or alternative implementations,operation 702 may include or involve an operation 724 for detecting thepresence of the plurality of functional devices within the communicationrange of the wearable computing device based, at least in part, on theplurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devicesand received by the wearable computing device including determininglocations of the plurality of functional devices relative to location ofthe wearable computing device based, at least in part, on the pluralityof signals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices. Forinstance, the functional device presence sensing module 102* includingthe functional device relative location ascertaining module 516 (seeFIG. 5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B detectingthe presence of the plurality of functional devices 20* within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* based, atleast in part, on the plurality of signals 80 transmitted by theplurality of functional devices 20* and received by the wearablecomputing device 10* including determining or ascertaining, by thefunctional device relative location ascertaining module 516, therelative locations of the plurality of functional devices 20* relativeto the location of the wearable computing device 10* based, at least inpart, on the plurality of signals 80 transmitted by the plurality offunctional devices 20*. In some embodiments, the locations of each ofthe functional devices 20* may at least be one of the basis forselecting or choosing one or more of the plurality of functional devices20* for providing one or more functionalities to the wearable computingdevice 10*. For example, a particular functional device 20* that islocated dead center of the “line of sight” (e.g., field of regard) of adirectional antenna of the wearable computing device 10* may bepreferred over another functional device 20* that is not so centered.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7G, operation 724 may further include oneor more additional operations in various alternative implementationsincluding, in some cases, an operation 725 for determining the locationsof the plurality of functional devices relative to the location of thewearable computing device by determining directions of the plurality offunctional devices relative to the location of the wearable computingdevice based, at least in part, on the plurality of signals transmittedby the plurality of functional devices. For instance, the functionaldevice relative location ascertaining module 516 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B determining the locations of theplurality of functional devices 20* relative to the location of thewearable computing device 10* by determining directions of the pluralityof functional devices 20* relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device 10* based, at least in part, on the plurality ofsignals 80 transmitted by the plurality of functional devices 20*. Insome cases, this operation may be implemented using a directionalantenna.

In some implementations, operation 725 may include or involve anoperation 726 for determining the directions of the plurality offunctional devices relative to the location of the wearable computingdevice by controlling a directional antenna of the wearable computingdevice in order to determine the directions of the plurality offunctional devices relative to the location of the wearable computingdevice based on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality offunctional devices and detected through the directional antenna. Forinstance, the functional device relative location ascertaining module516 including the directional antenna control module 518 (see FIG. 5A)of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B determining thedirections of the plurality of functional devices 20* relative to thelocation of the wearable computing device 10* by having the directionalantenna control module 518 control a directional antenna (e.g., antenna130 of FIG. 4A or 4B) of the wearable computing device 10* in order todetermine the directions of the plurality of functional devices 20*relative to the location of the wearable computing device 10* based onthe plurality of signals 80 transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices 20* and detected through the directional antenna (e.g., antenna130 of FIG. 4A or 4B).

In some implementations, operation 726 may, in turn, further include orinvolve an operation 727 for controlling the directional antenna of thewearable computing device in order to determine the directions of theplurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device based on the plurality of signals transmitted by theplurality of functional devices and detected through the directionalantenna by pointing the directional antenna of the wearable computingdevice at different directions in order to detect the plurality ofsignals and in order to determine the directions of the plurality offunctional devices relative to the location of the wearable computingdevice. For instance, the directional antenna control module 518 of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B controlling thedirectional antenna of the wearable computing device 10* in order todetermine the directions of the plurality of functional devices 20*relative to the location of the wearable computing device 10* based onthe plurality of signals 80 transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices 20* and detected through the directional antenna by having thedirectional antenna control module 518 point the directional antenna(e.g., antenna 130 of FIG. 4A or 4B) of the wearable computing device10* at different directions in order to detect the plurality of signals80 and in order to determine the directions of the plurality offunctional devices 20* relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device 10*.

Referring now to FIG. 7H, in various implementations, the functionaldevice presence detecting operation 602 may include or involve anoperation 728 for detecting the presence of the plurality of functionaldevices within communication range of the wearable computing device bydetecting presence of a plurality of external linking devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device, the plurality ofexternal linking devices designed to communicate beyond thecommunication range of the wearable computing device. For instance, thefunctional device presence sensing module 102* of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B detecting the presence of the plurality offunctional devices 20* within communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10* by detecting or sensing presence of a plurality ofexternal linking devices within the communication range 50* of thewearable computing device 10*, the plurality of external linking devices(e.g., Smartphones, tablet computers, laptop or desktop computers,access points, base stations, repeaters, and so forth) designed tocommunicate beyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computingdevice 10*.

In various implementations, the functional device presence detectingoperation 602 may include or involve an operation 729 for detecting thepresence of the plurality of functional devices within communicationrange of the wearable computing device by detecting presence of aplurality of sensor endowed devices within the communication range ofthe wearable computing device. For instance, the functional devicepresence sensing module 102* of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B detecting the presence of the plurality of functionaldevices 20* within communication range 50* of the wearable computingdevice 10* by detecting or sensing presence of a plurality of sensorendowed devices within the communication range 50 of the wearablecomputing device 10*. Examples of sensor endowed devices include, forexample, Smartphones with audio, visual, and/or movement sensors, otherwearable computing devices (e.g., AR devices with audio and/or visualsensors, or Smartwatches with audio, visual, movement, and/or electricalactivity sensors), and so forth. Note that for purposes of thisdescription, references to movement sensors may be in reference to avariety of sensors capable of sensing various aspects of movementsincluding accelerometers, gyroscope, inertia sensors, and so forth.References herein to electrical activity sensors may be in reference tothose types of sensors that can detect or sense electrical activities ofhuman tissue (e.g., muscles, tendons, and so forth).

In some cases, operation 729 may actually involve an operation 730 fordetecting the presence of the plurality of sensor endowed devices withinthe communication range of the wearable computing device by detectingpresence of a plurality of visual and/or audio sensor endowed deviceswithin the communication range of the wearable computing device. Forinstance, the functional device presence sensing module 102* of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B detecting the presence ofthe plurality of sensor endowed devices within the communication range50* of the wearable computing device 10* by detecting presence of aplurality of visual and/or audio sensors endowed devices (e.g., devicesendowed with various sensors including conventional or infrared cameras,black silicon sensors, microphones, and so forth) within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*.

Alternatively or additionally operation 729 may actually involve orinvolve an operation 731 for detecting the presence of the plurality ofsensor endowed devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device by detecting presence of a plurality of movement sensorendowed devices within the communication range of the wearable computingdevice. For instance, the functional device presence sensing module 102*of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B detecting thepresence of the plurality of sensor endowed devices within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* bydetecting presence of a plurality of movement sensors (e.g.,accelerometers, inertia sensors, and so forth) endowed devices withinthe communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*. Notethat in some cases the movement sensor endowed devices that are detectedwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*may include one or more other wearable computing devices 10* that may beendowed with one or more movement sensors.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional devicepresence detecting operation 602 may additionally or alternativelyinclude an operation 732 for detecting the presence of a plurality offunctional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device that includes the wearable computing device and that isexternally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-power signalstransmitted by the wearable computing device using 0.8 milliwatt or lessof transmit power being discernible over background noise within theenveloping boundary and not discernible over background noise outsidethe enveloping boundary. For instance, the functional device presencesensing module 102* of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or4B detecting the presence of a plurality of functional devices 20*within the communication range 50* (see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B) ofthe wearable computing device 10* that includes the wearable computingdevice 10* and that is externally defined by an enveloping boundary 52*(see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B), where low-power signals 70*transmitted by the wearable computing device 10* using 0.8 milliwatt orless of transmit power being discernible over background noise (e.g.,noise as a result of background radiation) within the envelopingboundary 52* and not discernible over background noise outside theenveloping boundary 52*.

In some implementations, the functional device presence detectingoperation 602 may additionally or alternatively include an operation 733for detecting the presence of a plurality of functional devices withinthe communication range of the wearable computing device that includesthe wearable computing device and that is externally defined by anenveloping boundary, where low-power signals transmitted by the wearablecomputing device using 0.5 milliwatt or less of transmit power beingdiscernible over background noise within the enveloping boundary and notdiscernible over background noise outside the enveloping boundary. Forinstance, the functional device presence sensing module 102* of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B detecting the presence ofa plurality of functional devices 20* within the communication range 50*(see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B) of the wearable computing device 10*that includes the wearable computing device 10* and that is externallydefined by an enveloping boundary 52* (see, for example, FIG. 1A or 1B),where low-power signals 70* transmitted by the wearable computing device10* using 0.5 milliwatt or less of transmit power being discernible overbackground noise (e.g., noise as a result of background radiation)within the enveloping boundary 52* and not discernible over backgroundnoise outside the enveloping boundary 52*.

Referring now to FIGS. 7J and 7K, in various implementations, thefunctional device presence detecting operation 602 may actually includeor involve an operation 734 a for directing the wearable computingdevice to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain fromone or more functional devices that detects the one or more low-powerquery signals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmationsignals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provideone or more specific functionalities if the one or more functionaldevices does indeed provide the one or more specific functionalities andan operation 734 b for directing the wearable computing device tomonitor for the one or more confirmation signals. For instance, thelow-power query signal transmit directing module 520 (see FIG. 5A) ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing (e.g.,controlling or instructing) the wearable computing device 10* totransmit one or more low-power query signals 84 (see, for example, FIG.1C) to obtain or solicit from one or more functional devices 20* thatdetects the one or more low-power query signals 84 one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals 85 (see, for example,FIG. 1C) that indicate that the one or more functional devices 20*provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or morefunctional devices 20* does indeed provide the one or more specificfunctionalities, and the confirmation signal monitor directing module530 (see FIG. 5A) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bdirecting (e.g., controlling or instructing) the wearable computingdevice 10* to monitor for the one or more confirmation signals 85.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 7J and 7K operation 734 a may includeone or more additional operations in various alternativeimplementations. For example, in some implementations, operation 734 amay further include or involve an operation 735 for directing thewearable computing device to transmit one or more low-power querysignals to obtain, from one or more functional devices that detects theone or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations via oneor more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or morefunctional devices provide one or more communication links to beyond thecommunication range of the wearable computing device if the one or morefunctional devices does indeed provide the one or more communicationlinks as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 7J. For instance, thelow-power query signal transmit directing module 520 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computingdevice 10* to transmit one or more low-power query signals 84 to obtain(e.g., solicit), from one or more functional devices 20* that detectsthe one or more low-power query signals 84, one or more confirmationsvia one or more confirmation signals 85 that indicate that the one ormore functional devices 20* provide one or more communication links 90*(e.g., Wi-Fi links and/or cellular network links) to beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* if the oneor more functional devices 20* does indeed provide the one or morecommunication links 90*.

In some cases, operation 735 may, in turn, further include an operation736 for directing the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functionaldevices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thedata transfer rate of the one or more communication links provided bythe one or more functional devices. For instance, the low-power querysignal transmit directing module 520 of the wearable computing device10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* totransmit one or more low-power query signals 84 to obtain or solicit,from the one or more functional devices 20* that detect the one or morelow-power query signals 84, one or more confirmations via one or moreconfirmation signals 85 that indicate the data transfer rate of the oneor more communication links 90* provided by the one or more functionaldevices 20*. In some cases, it may be desirable or preferable to use oneor more functional devices 20* that provide one or more communicationlinks 90* having the highest data transfer rates.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 734 a may includeor involve an operation 737 for directing the wearable computing deviceto transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one ormore functional devices that detect the one or more low-power querysignals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signalsthat indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one ormore sensor functionalities if the one or more functional devices doesindeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities. For instance, thelow-power query signal transmit directing module 520 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing (e.g., controlling orinstructing) the wearable computing device 10* to transmit one or morelow-power query signals 84 to obtain or solicit, from one or morefunctional devices 20* that detect the one or more low-power querysignals 84, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmationsignals 85 that indicate that the one or more functional devices 20*provide one or more sensor functionalities (e.g., visual or movementsensor functionalities to capture movements of a user's hand) if the oneor more functional devices 20* does indeed provide the one or moresensor functionalities.

In some implementations, operation 737 may further include or involve anoperation 738 for directing the wearable computing device to transmitone or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one or morefunctional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals,one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals thatindicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or moreaudio and/or visual sensor functionalities if the one or more functionaldevices does indeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities. Forinstance, the low-power query signal transmit directing module 520 ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to transmit one or more low-power querysignals 84 to obtain or solicit, from one or more functional devices 20*that detect the one or more low-power query signals 84, one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals 85 that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices 20* provide one or more audio and/orvisual sensor functionalities (e.g., visual and/or audio functionalitiesprovided by cameras, microphones, etc.) if the one or more functionaldevices 20* does indeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities.

In some implementations, operation 737 may actually include or involvean operation 739 for directing the wearable computing device to transmitone or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one or morefunctional devices that detect the one or more low-power query signals,one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signals thatindicate that the one or more functional devices provide one or moremovement sensor functionalities if the one or more functional devicesdoes indeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities. Forinstance, the low-power query signal transmit directing module 520 ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to transmit one or more low-power querysignals 84 to obtain or solicit from one or more functional devices 20*that detect the one or more low-power query signals 84 one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals 85 that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices 20* provide one or more movementsensor functionalities (e.g., functionalities provided byaccelerometers, inertia sensors, gyroscope, etc.) if the one or morefunctional devices 20* does indeed provide the one or more sensorfunctionalities.

Turning now to FIG. 7K, in some implementations, operation 734 a mayinclude or involve an operation 740 for directing the wearable computingdevice to transmit the one or more low-power query signals to obtain,from the one or more functional devices that detect the one or morelow-power query signals, one or more confirmations via the one or moreconfirmation signals that indicate when can the one or more functionaldevices provide the one or more specific functionalities to the wearablecomputing device. For instance, the low-power query signal transmitdirecting module 520 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or4B directing the wearable computing device 10* to transmit (e.g.,broadcast) the one or more low-power query signals 84 to obtain orsolicit from the one or more functional devices 20* that detect the oneor more low-power query signals 84 one or more confirmations via the oneor more confirmation signals 85 that indicate when can the one or morefunctional devices 20* provide the one or more specific functionalitiesto the wearable computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 734 a mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 741 for directing thewearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power querysignals to obtain, from the one or more functional devices that detectthe one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations viathe one or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or morefunctional devices has access to one or more applications that supportsone or more applications included with the wearable computing device.For instance, the low-power query signal transmit directing module 520of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing thewearable computing device 10* to transmit the one or more low-powerquery signals 84 to obtain or solicit from the one or more functionaldevices 20* that detect the one or more low-power query signals 84 oneor more confirmations via the one or more confirmation signals 85 thatindicate that the one or more functional devices 20* has access to oneor more applications that support one or more applications (e.g.,electronic messaging applications) included with the wearable computingdevice 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 734 a mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 742 for directing thewearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power querysignals to obtain, from the one or more functional devices that detectsthe one or more low-power query signals, one or more confirmations viaone or more confirmation signals that indicate that the one or morefunctional devices are associated with a user who is also associatedwith the wearable computing device. For instance, the low-power querysignal transmit directing module 520 of the wearable computing device10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computing device 10* totransmit the one or more low-power query signals 84 to obtain or solicitfrom the one or more functional devices 20* that detects the one or morelow-power query signals 84 one or more confirmations via one or moreconfirmation signals 85 that indicate that the one or more functionaldevices 20* are associated with a user who is also associated with thewearable computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 734 a mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 743 for directing thewearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power querysignals by directing a transceiver of the wearable computing device totransmit the one or more low-power query signals. For instance, thelow-power query signal transmit directing module 520 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B directing the wearable computingdevice 10* to transmit the one or more low-power query signals 84 bydirecting (e.g., controlling or instructing) a transceiver 118 of thewearable computing device to transmit the one or more low-power querysignals 84.

Referring back to the functional device selecting operation 604 of FIG.6, the functional device selecting operation 604 similar to thefunctional device presence detecting operation 602 of FIG. 6 may beexecuted in a number of different ways in various alternativeembodiments as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C. Insome cases, for example, the functional device selecting operation 604may actually include or involve an operation 844 for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devices forproviding to the wearable computing device the one or morefunctionalities by selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,one or more functional devices that were determined to require leastamount of transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computingdevice amongst the plurality of functional devices as illustrated inFIG. 8A. For instance, the functional device choosing module 104*including the least communication power requirement determining module540 (see FIG. 5B) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bselecting, from the plurality of functional devices 20*, the one or morefunctional devices 20* for providing to the wearable computing device10* the one or more functionalities by selecting or choosing, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as being presentwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,one or more functional devices 20* that were determined by the leastcommunication power requirement determining module 540 to require leastamount of transmit power to communicate with by the wearable computingdevice 10* amongst the plurality of functional devices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 845 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices thatwere determined to provide earliest access to the one or morefunctionalities amongst the plurality of functional devices. Forinstance, the functional device choosing module 104* including theearliest functionality access determining module 542 (see FIG. 5B) ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from theplurality of functional devices 20*, the one or more functional devices20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* the one or morefunctionalities by selecting or choosing, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, one ormore functional devices 20* that were determined by the earliestfunctionality access determining module 542 to provide earliest accessto the one or more functionalities amongst the plurality of functionaldevices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 846 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devicesbased, at least in part, on the one or more relative locations of theone or more functional devices relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device. For instance, the functional device choosing module104* including the relative device location determining module 544 (seeFIG. 5B) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bselecting, from the plurality of functional devices 20*, the one or morefunctional devices 20* for providing to the wearable computing device10* the one or more functionalities by selecting or choosing, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as being presentwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,the one or more functional devices 20* based, at least in part, ondetermination made by the relative device location determining module544 of the one or more relative locations of the one or more functionaldevices 20* relative to the location of the wearable computing device10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 847 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices that aredetermined to be associated with a user who is also associated with thewearable computing device. For instance, the functional device choosingmodule 104* including the commonly associated user determining module546 (see FIG. 5B) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bselecting, from the plurality of functional devices 20*, the one or morefunctional devices 20* for providing to the wearable computing device10* the one or more functionalities by selecting or choosing, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as being presentwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,one or more functional devices 20* that are determined by the commonlyassociated user determining module 546 to be associated with a user whois also associated with the wearable computing device 10*. In someimplementations, the determination as to whether the one or morefunctional devices 20* are commonly associated with a user who isassociated with the wearable computing device 10* may be executed byquerying the one or more functional devices 20* to confirm that the oneor more functional devices 20* are, in fact, commonly associated with acommon user.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 848 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices thatwere determined to provide highest data transfer rate or rates to thewearable computing device amongst the plurality of functional devices.For instance, the functional device choosing module 104* including thehighest data transfer rate determining module 548 (see FIG. 5B) of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from theplurality of functional devices 20*, the one or more functional devices20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* the one or morefunctionalities by selecting or choosing, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, one ormore functional devices 20* that were determined by the highest datatransfer rate determining module 548 to provide highest data transferrate or rates to the wearable computing device 10* amongst the pluralityof functional devices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 849 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices thatwere determined to have at least access to one or more applications thatsupports one or more applications included with the wearable computingdevice. For instance, the functional device choosing module 104*including the application access determining module 550 (see FIG. 5B) ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from theplurality of functional devices 20*, the one or more functional devices20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* the one or morefunctionalities by selecting or choosing, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, one ormore functional devices 20* that were determined by the applicationaccess determining module 550 to have at least access to one or moreapplications (e.g., hand gesture recognition application) that supportsone or more applications (e.g., hand gesture recognition application)included with the wearable computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may additionally or alternatively include anoperation 850 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device the one or more functionalities by selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices based,at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functionaldevices as illustrated in FIG. 8B. For instance, the functional devicechoosing module 104* including the sensor data based functional devicechoosing module 552 (see FIG. 5B) of the wearable computing device 10*of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from the plurality of functional devices20*, the one or more functional devices 20* for providing to thewearable computing device 10* the one or more functionalities byselecting or choosing by the sensor data based functional devicechoosing module 552, from the plurality of functional devices 20* thatwere detected as being present within the communication range 50* of thewearable computing device 10*, one or more functional devices 20* thatare selected based, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the oneor more functional devices 20*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 8B, operation 850 may further include orinvolve one or more additional operations in various alternativeimplementations, including, in some cases, an operation 851 forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided bythe one or more functional devices that was determined to include imagedata of at least a portion of a user's body. For instance, the sensordata based functional device choosing module 552 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting or choosing, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as being presentwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,the one or more functional devices 20* that are selected based, at leastin part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices20* that was determined to include image data of at least a portion of auser's body.

In various implementations, operation 851 may further include or involvean operation 852 for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, onsensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that wasdetermined to include image data of at least one or more portions of oneor more limbs of the user. For instance, the sensor data basedfunctional device choosing module 552 of the wearable computing device10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting or choosing, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, the one ormore functional devices 20* that are selected based, at least in part,on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices 20* thatwas determined to include image data of at least one or more portions ofone or more limbs of the user.

Operation 852 may, in turn, further include or involve an operation 853for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided bythe one or more functional devices that was determined to include imagedata of one or more movements of the at least one or more portions ofthe one or more limbs of the user. For instance, the sensor data basedfunctional device choosing module 552 of the wearable computing device10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from the plurality of functional devices20* that were detected as being present within the communication range50* of the wearable computing device 10*, the one or more functionaldevices 20* that are selected based, at least in part, on sensor dataprovided by the one or more functional devices 20* that was determinedto include image data of one or more movements (e.g., hand/fingergestures) of the at least one or more portions of the one or more limbsof the user.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 850 may include orinvolve an operation 854 for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, onsensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that wasdetermined to include data indicative of one or more electricalactivities of one or more muscles of one or more limbs of a user. Forinstance, the sensor data based functional device choosing module 552 ofthe wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting orchoosing, from the plurality of functional devices 20* that weredetected as being present within the communication range 50* of thewearable computing device 10*, the one or more functional devices 20*that are selected based, at least in part, on sensor data provided bythe one or more functional devices 20* that was determined to includedata indicative of one or more electrical activities of one or moremuscles of one or more limbs of a user.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 850 may include orinvolve an operation 855 for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, onsensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that wasdetermined to include audio data. For instance, the sensor data basedfunctional device choosing module 552 of the wearable computing device10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting or choosing, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, the one ormore functional devices 20* that are selected based, at least in part,on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devices 20* thatwas determined to include audio data.

In some cases, operation 855 may, in turn, further include or involve anoperation 856 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on sensordata provided by the one or more functional devices that was determinedto include audio data associated with a voice of a user who is furtherassociated with the wearable computing device. For instance, the sensordata based functional device choosing module 552 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from the plurality offunctional devices 20* that were detected as being present within thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, the one ormore functional devices 20* based, at least in part, on sensor dataprovided by the one or more functional devices 20* that was determinedto include audio data associated with a voice of a user who is furtherassociated with the wearable computing device 10*.

Referring now to FIG. 8C, in some implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may include or involve an operation 857 forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore functionalities by selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more communication links to beyond thecommunication range of the wearable computing device. For instance, thefunctional device choosing module 104* including the communication linkproviding device choosing module 554 (see FIG. 5B) of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting or choosing, from theplurality of functional devices 20*, the one or more functional devices20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* one or morefunctionalities by having the communication link providing devicechoosing module 554 select or choose, from the plurality of functionaldevices 20* that were detected as being present within the communicationrange 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, one or more functionaldevices 20* for providing to the wearable computing device 10* one ormore communication links 90* to beyond the communication range 50* ofthe wearable computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, the functional deviceselecting operation 604 may include an operation 858 for selecting, fromthe plurality of functional devices, the one or more functional devicesfor providing to the wearable computing device one or morefunctionalities by selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice one or more sensor functionalities. For instance, the functionaldevice choosing module 104* including the sensor functionality providingdevice choosing module 556 (see FIG. 5B) of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices 20*, the one or more functional devices 20* for providing to thewearable computing device 10* one or more functionalities by having thesensor functionality providing device choosing module 556 select orchoose, from the plurality of functional devices 20* that were detectedas being present within the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10*, one or more functional devices 20* for providingto the wearable computing device 10* one or more sensor functionalities.

As further illustrated in FIG. 8C, operation 858 may further include oneor more additional operations in various alternative implementationsincluding, in some cases, an operation 859 for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices forproviding to the wearable computing device sensor data collected by oneor more sensors. For instance, the sensor functionality providing devicechoosing module 556 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or4B selecting or choosing, from the plurality of functional devices 20*that were detected as being present within the communication range 50*of the wearable computing device 10*, one or more functional devices 20*for providing to the wearable computing device 10* sensor data collectedby one or more sensors.

In some implementations, operation 859 may further include or involve anoperation 860 for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,one or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice audio and/or image data collected by one or more sensors. Forinstance, the sensor functionality providing device choosing module 556of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, fromthe plurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as beingpresent within the communication range 50* of the wearable computingdevice 10*, one or more functional devices 20* for providing to thewearable computing device 10* audio and/or image data collected by oneor more sensors (e.g., audio sensors and/or visual sensors such ascameras).

In some implementations, operation 859 may additionally or alternativelyinclude an operation 861 for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device movement data collected by one or more sensors. Forinstance, the sensor functionality providing device choosing module 556of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, fromthe plurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as beingpresent within the communication range 50* of the wearable computingdevice 10*, one or more functional devices 20* for providing to thewearable computing device 10* movement data collected by one or moresensors (e.g., accelerometers, inertia sensors, gyroscope, and soforth).

In some implementations, operation 859 may additionally or alternativelyinclude an operation 862 for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device electrical activity data associated with one or moremuscles of a user collected by one or more sensors. For instance, thesensor functionality providing device choosing module 556 of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B selecting, from theplurality of functional devices 20* that were detected as being presentwithin the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*,one or more functional devices 20* for providing to the wearablecomputing device 10* electrical activity data associated with one ormore muscles of a user collected by one or more sensors (e.g.,electromyography or EMG sensors).

Turning now to FIG. 9 illustrating another operational flow 900.Operational flow 900 includes certain operations that mirror theoperations included in operational flow 600 of FIG. 6. These operationsinclude a functional device presence detecting operation 902 and afunctional device selecting operation 904 that corresponds to andmirrors the functional device presence detecting operation 602 and thefunctional device selecting operation 604, respectively, of FIG. 6.

In addition, operational flow 900 further includes a functionality usefacilitating operation 906 for facilitating the wearable computingdevice to use the one or more functionalities provided by the one ormore selected functional devices. For instance the functionality usefacilitating module 106* of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to use the one ormore functionalities (e.g., communication links 90* to beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*, sensorfunctionalities, and so forth) provided by the one or more selectedfunctional devices 20*. As will be further described herein with respectto FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C, there are a number of ways to facilitate thewearable computing device 10* to use the one or more functionalitiesprovided by the one or more selected functional devices 20*. In someimplementations, the wearable computing device 10* may be facilitated inusing the one or more functionalities provided by the one or moreselected functional devices 20* by having the functionality usefacilitating module 106* of the wearable computing device 10* direct thewearable computing device 10* to use an antenna 130 to communicate withthe one or more functional devices 20*.

For example, in some implementations, the functionality use facilitatingoperation 906 of FIG. 9 may actually include or involve an operation1064 for facilitating the wearable computing device to use the one ormore functionalities provided by the one or more selected functionaldevices by facilitating the wearable computing device to transmitoutbound data, via one or more low-power outbound data signals, to theone or more selected functional devices as illustrated in FIG. 10A. Forinstance, the functionality use facilitating module 106* including theoutbound data transmit facilitating module 558 (see FIG. 5C) of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to use the one or more functionalities provided bythe one or more selected functional devices 20* by having the outbounddata transmit facilitating module 558 to facilitate the wearablecomputing device 10* to transmit outbound data 86* (see, for example,FIG. 1D), via one or more low-power outbound data signals (e.g., datasignals that are wirelessly transmitted with less than or equal to 0.8milliwatt of transmit power), to the one or more selected functionaldevices 20*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 10A, operation 1064 may further includeone or more additional operations in various alternative implementationsincluding, in some cases, an operation 1065 for facilitating thewearable computing device to transmit outbound data, via the one or morelow-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selected functionaldevices by directing one or more components including a transceiver ofthe wearable computing device to transmit the outbound data, via the oneor more low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the outbound data transmitfacilitating module 558 including the component directing module 560(see FIG. 5C) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bfacilitating the wearable computing device 10* to transmit outbound data86*, via the one or more low-power outbound data signals, to the one ormore selected functional devices 20* by having the component directingmodule 560 direct (e.g., control or instruct) one or more componentsincluding a transceiver 118 of the wearable computing device 10* totransmit the outbound data 86*, via the one or more low-power outbounddata signals (e.g. low-power signals 70* that are wirelessly transmittedusing less than or equal to 0.8 milliwatt of transmit power), to the oneor more selected functional devices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 1064 mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 1066 for facilitatingthe wearable computing device to transmit the outbound data, via the oneor more low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selectedfunctional devices by facilitating the wearable computing device totransmit the outbound data, via one or more low-power outbound datasignals that are transmitted using less than 0.8 milliwatt of transmitpower, to the one or more selected functional devices. For instance, theoutbound data transmit facilitating module 558 of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearable computing device10* to transmit the outbound data 86*, via the one or more low-poweroutbound data signals, to the one or more selected functional devices20* by facilitating the wearable computing device 10* (e.g., directingor instructing one or more components of the wearable computing device10*) to transmit the outbound data 86*, via one or more low-poweroutbound data signals that are transmitted using less than 0.8 milliwattof transmit power (e.g., 0.5 or 0.3 milliwatt of transmit power), to theone or more selected functional devices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 1064 mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 1067 for facilitatingthe wearable computing device to transmit the outbound data, via the oneor more low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selectedfunctional devices by facilitating the wearable computing device totransmit one or more low-power outbound data signals embodying one ormore requests and/or commands to the one or more selected functionaldevices. For instance, the outbound data transmit facilitating module558 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitatingthe wearable computing device 10* to transmit the outbound data 86*, viathe one or more low-power outbound data signals (e.g., data signalswirelessly transmitted using less than 1 milliwatt of transmit power),to the one or more selected functional devices 20* by facilitating thewearable computing device 10* to transmit one or more low-power outbounddata signals embodying one or more requests and/or commands to the oneor more selected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1067 may actually include or involvean operation 1068 for facilitating the wearable computing device totransmit one or more low-power outbound data signals embodying one ormore sensor requests and/or commands to the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the outbound data transmitfacilitating module 558 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to transmit one ormore low-power outbound data signals (e.g., data signals wirelesslytransmitted using less than 1 milliwatt of transmit power) embodying oneor more sensor requests and/or commands (e.g., request/command toactivate or control a sensor) to the one or more selected functionaldevices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1067 may actually include or involvean operation 1069 for facilitating the wearable computing device totransmit one or more low-power outbound data signals embodying one ormore application requests and/or commands to the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the outbound data transmitfacilitating module 558 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to transmit one ormore low-power outbound data signals (e.g., data signals wirelesslytransmitted using less than 1 milliwatt of transmit power) embodying oneor more application requests and/or commands (e.g., requests/commandsfor web-based applications including email or instant messagingapplications, or gaming applications) to the one or more selectedfunctional devices 20*.

Referring to FIG. 10B, in some implementations, operation 1064 mayinclude an operation 1070 for facilitating the wearable computing deviceto transmit the outbound data, via the one or more low-power outbounddata signals, to the one or more selected functional devices byfacilitating the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power outbound data signals embodying one or more electronicmessages to the one or more selected functional devices. For instance,the outbound data transmit facilitating module 558 of the wearablecomputing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to transmit the outbound data 86*, via the one ormore low-power outbound data signals, to the one or more selectedfunctional devices 20* by facilitating the wearable computing device 10*to transmit one or more low-power outbound data signals (e.g., datasignals wirelessly transmitted using less than 1 milliwatt of transmitpower) embodying one or more electronic messages (e.g., emails,telephone calls, IM, text messages, and so forth) to the one or moreselected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1064 may include an operation 1071for facilitating the wearable computing device to transmit the outbounddata, via the one or more outbound low-power data signals, to the one ormore selected functional devices by facilitating the wearable computingdevice to transmit one or more low-power outbound data signals embodyingone or more addresses and/or links to the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the outbound data transmitfacilitating module 558 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to transmit theoutbound data 86*, via the one or more outbound low-power data signals,to the one or more selected functional devices 20* by facilitating thewearable computing device 10* to transmit one or more low-power outbounddata signals (e.g., data signals wirelessly transmitted using less than1 milliwatt of transmit power) embodying one or more addresses (e.g.,uniform resource locators or URLs) and/or links (e.g., hyperlinks) tothe one or more selected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, the functionality use facilitating operation906 may include or involve an operation 1072 for facilitating thewearable computing device to use the one or more functionalitiesprovided by the one or more selected functional devices by facilitatingthe wearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devices.For instance, the functionality use facilitating module 106* includingthe inbound data receive facilitating module 562 (see FIG. 5C) of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to use the one or more functionalities provided bythe one or more selected functional devices 20* by having the inbounddata receive facilitating module 562 facilitate (e.g., direct,configure, or instruct) the wearable computing device 10* to receiveinbound data 87* (see, for example, FIG. 1D), via one or more inbounddata signals, from the one or more selected functional devices 20*.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 10B and 10C, operation 1072 may furtherinclude one or more additional operations in various alternativeimplementations including, in some cases, an operation 1073 forfacilitating the wearable computing device to receive the inbound data,via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selectedfunctional devices by directing one or more components including atransceiver of the wearable computing device to receive the inbounddata, via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or moreselected functional devices. For instance, the inbound data receivefacilitating module 562 including the component directing module 564(see FIG. 5C) of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bfacilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive the inbounddata 87*, via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or moreselected functional devices by having the component directing module 564direct (e.g., control or instruct) one or more components including atransceiver 118 of the wearable computing device 10* to receive theinbound data 87*, via the one or more inbound data signals, from the oneor more selected functional devices 20*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 1072 mayadditionally or alternatively include or involve an operation 1074 forfacilitating the wearable computing device to receive the inbound data,via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selectedfunctional devices by facilitating the wearable computing device toreceive one or more inbound data signals embodying data associated withone or more messages that originated from beyond the communication rangeof the wearable computing device from the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the inbound data receive facilitatingmodule 562 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bfacilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive the inbounddata 87*, via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or moreselected functional devices 20* by facilitating the wearable computingdevice 10* to receive one or more inbound data signals embodying dataassociated with one or more messages that originated from beyond thecommunication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10* (e.g., oneor more messages that originated from the Internet) from the one or moreselected functional devices 20*.

In some cases, operation 1074 may further include or involve anoperation 1075 for facilitating the wearable computing device to receiveone or more inbound data signals that embodies data associated with theone or more messages that originated from beyond the communication rangeof the wearable computing device from the one or more selectedfunctional devices by facilitating the wearable computing device toreceive one or more inbound data signals that indicate at least a sendername, telephone number, subject heading, and/or content associated withone or more messages that originated from beyond the communication rangeof the wearable computing device from the one or more selectedfunctional devices. For instance, the inbound data receive facilitatingmodule 562 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4Bfacilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive one or moreinbound data signals (e.g., inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D) that embodiesdata associated with the one or more messages that originated frombeyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*from the one or more selected functional devices 20* by facilitating thewearable computing device 10* to receive one or more inbound datasignals that indicate at least a sender name, telephone number, subjectheading, and/or content associated with one or more messages thatoriginated from beyond the communication range 50* of the wearablecomputing device 10* from the one or more selected functional devices20*.

In some implementations, operation 1072 may additionally oralternatively include or involve an operation 1076 for facilitating thewearable computing device to receive the inbound data, via the one ormore inbound data signals, from the one or more selected functionaldevices by facilitating the wearable computing device to receive one ormore inbound data signals embodying one or more sensor acquired datafrom the one or more selected functional devices. For instance, theinbound data receive facilitating module 562 of the wearable computingdevice 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearable computing device10* to receive the inbound data 87*, via the one or more inbound datasignals, from the one or more selected functional devices 20* byfacilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive one or moreinbound data signals (e.g., inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D) embodying oneor more sensor acquired data (e.g., GPS acquired data, audio and/orvisual sensor acquired data, movement sensor acquired data, and soforth) from the one or more selected functional devices 20*.

In some cases, operation 1076 may, in turn, further include an operation1077 for facilitating the wearable computing device to receive the oneor more inbound data signals embodying the one or more sensor acquireddata from the one or more selected functional devices by facilitatingthe wearable computing device to receive one or more inbound datasignals embodying one or more audio sensor data, visual sensor data,and/or movement sensor data from the one or more selected functionaldevices. For instance, the inbound data receive facilitating module 562of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating thewearable computing device 10* to receive the one or more inbound datasignals (e.g., inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D) embodying the one or moresensor acquired data from the one or more selected functional devices20* by facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive one ormore inbound data signals embodying one or more audio sensor data,visual sensor data, and/or movement sensor data from the one or moreselected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1072 may additionally oralternatively include an operation 1078 for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to receive the inbound data, via the one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devicesby facilitating the wearable computing device to receive one or moreinbound data signals embodying consumer media that originated frombeyond the communication range of the wearable computing device from theone or more selected functional devices. For instance, the inbound datareceive facilitating module 562 of the wearable computing device 10* ofFIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receivethe inbound data 87*, via the one or more inbound data signals, from theone or more selected functional devices 20* by facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to receive one or more inbound data signals (e.g.,inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D) embodying consumer media (e.g., anelectronic novel, digital movie, and so forth) that originated frombeyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*from the one or more selected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1072 may additionally oralternatively include an operation 1079 for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to receive the inbound data, via the one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devicesby facilitating the wearable computing device to receive one or moreinbound data signals embodying news content that originated from beyondthe communication range of the wearable computing device from the one ormore selected functional devices. For instance, the inbound data receivefacilitating module 562 of the wearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4Aor 4B facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receive theinbound data 87*, via the one or more inbound data signals, from the oneor more selected functional devices 20* by facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to receive one or more inbound data signals (e.g.,inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D) embodying news content that originated frombeyond the communication range 50* of the wearable computing device 10*from the one or more selected functional devices 20*.

In some implementations, operation 1072 may additionally oralternatively include an operation 1080 for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to receive the inbound data, via the one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devicesby facilitating the wearable computing device to receive one or moreinbound data signals embodying data for generating one or more graphicaluser interfaces (GUIs) from the one or more selected functional devices.For instance, the inbound data receive facilitating module 562 of thewearable computing device 10* of FIG. 4A or 4B facilitating the wearablecomputing device 10* to receive the inbound data 87*, via the one ormore inbound data signals, from the one or more selected functionaldevices 20* by facilitating the wearable computing device 10* to receiveone or more inbound data signals (e.g., inbound data 87* of FIG. 1D)embodying data for generating one or more graphical user interfaces(GUIs) from the one or more selected functional devices 20*.

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the subject matter described hereinand its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of theappended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.).

It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specificnumber of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intentwill be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of suchrecitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to claims containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations).

Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “atleast one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a constructionis intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understandthe convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C”would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone,C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A,B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a conventionanalogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general sucha construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the artwould understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one ofA, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be furtherunderstood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive wordand/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in thedescription, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplatethe possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, orboth terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “Aor B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A”or “B” or “A and B.”

With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art willappreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed inany order. Also, although various operational flows are presented in asequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may beperformed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may beperformed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may includeoverlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental,preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variantorderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like“responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives aregenerally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictatesotherwise.

This application may make reference to one or more trademarks, e.g., aword, letter, symbol, or device adopted by one manufacturer or merchantand used to identify and/or distinguish his or her product from those ofothers. Trademark names used herein are set forth in such language thatmakes clear their identity, that distinguishes them from commondescriptive nouns, that have fixed and definite meanings, or, in many ifnot all cases, are accompanied by other specific identification usingterms not covered by trademark. In addition, trademark names used hereinhave meanings that are well-known and defined in the literature, or donot refer to products or compounds for which knowledge of one or moretrade secrets is required in order to divine their meaning. Alltrademarks referenced in this application are the property of theirrespective owners, and the appearance of one or more trademarks in thisapplication does not diminish or otherwise adversely affect the validityof the one or more trademarks. All trademarks, registered orunregistered, that appear in this application are assumed to include aproper trademark symbol, e.g., the circle R or bracketed capitalization(e.g., [trademark name]), even when such trademark symbol does notexplicitly appear next to the trademark. To the extent a trademark isused in a descriptive manner to refer to a product or process, thattrademark should be interpreted to represent the corresponding productor process as of the date of the filing of this patent application.

Throughout this application, the terms “in an embodiment,” ‘in oneembodiment,” “in some embodiments,” “in several embodiments,” “in atleast one embodiment,” “in various embodiments,” and the like, may beused. Each of these terms, and all such similar terms should beconstrued as “in at least one embodiment, and possibly but notnecessarily all embodiments,” unless explicitly stated otherwise.Specifically, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the intent of phraseslike these is to provide non-exclusive and non-limiting examples ofimplementations of the invention. The mere statement that one, some, ormay embodiments include one or more things or have one or more features,does not imply that all embodiments include one or more things or haveone or more features, but also does not imply that such embodiments mustexist. It is a mere indicator of an example and should not beinterpreted otherwise, unless explicitly stated as such.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specificexemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies arerepresentative of more general processes and/or devices and/ortechnologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filedherewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices withincommunication range of a wearable computing device, the communicationrange being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing deviceand being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-powersignals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary; and selecting,from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devicesfor providing to the wearable computing device one or morefunctionalities.
 2. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:means for detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices withincommunication range of a wearable computing device, the communicationrange being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing deviceand being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-powersignals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary; and means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore functionalities.
 3. The computationally-implemented system of claim1 wherein said means for detecting presence of a plurality of functionaldevices within communication range of a wearable computing device, thecommunication range being a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary,where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing devicebeing discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundaryand not discernible over background noise outside the envelopingboundary comprises: means for detecting the presence of the plurality offunctional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device including means for detecting presence of a pluralityof functional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by thewearable computing device.
 4. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 3, wherein said means for detecting the presence of the pluralityof functional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device including means for detecting presence of a pluralityof functional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by thewearable computing device comprises: means for directing the wearablecomputing device to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signalsthat are designed to, when one or more functional devices detect the oneor more low-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functionaldevices to generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledgedetection by the one or more functional devices of the one or morelow-power prompting signals; and means for directing the wearablecomputing device to monitor for the plurality of signals, the pluralityof signals being a plurality of responsive signals that acknowledgesthat the plurality of functional devices detected the one or morelow-power prompting signals.
 5. The computationally-implemented systemof claim 4, wherein said means for directing the wearable computingdevice to broadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that aredesigned to, when one or more functional devices detect the one or morelow-power prompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devicesto generate one or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection bythe one or more functional devices of the one or more low-powerprompting signals comprises: means for directing the wearable computingdevice to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signalsincluding means for directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using less than .8 milliwattof transmit power.
 6. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4,wherein said means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast one or more low-power prompting signals that are designed to,when one or more functional devices detect the one or more low-powerprompting signals, prompt the one or more functional devices to generateone or more responsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one ormore functional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signalscomprises: means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals including meansfor directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals through a directional antenna.
 7. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein said means fordirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast one or morelow-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or morefunctional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals,prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or moreresponsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or morefunctional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signalscomprises: means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals including meansfor directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals through an antenna using different levels oftransmit power, where the one or more low-power prompting signals aretransmitted at each level of transmit power for predefined increment orincrements of time.
 8. The computationally-implemented system of claim7, wherein said means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals including meansfor directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals through an antenna using different levels oftransmit power, where the one or more low-power prompting signals aretransmitted at each level of transmit power for predefined increment orincrements of time comprises: means for directing the wearable computingdevice to broadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals throughan antenna using different levels of transmit power including means fordirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals using a first level of transmit power anddirecting the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals using a second level of transmit power, thefirst level of transmit power being different from the second level oftransmit power.
 9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8,wherein said means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals through an antennausing different levels of transmit power including means for directingthe wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals using a first level of transmit power and directingthe wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals using a second level of transmit power, the firstlevel of transmit power being different from the second level oftransmit power comprises: means for directing the wearable computingdevice to pause broadcasting of the one or more low-power promptingsignals after broadcasting the one or more low-power prompting signalsusing the first level of transmit power and before broadcasting the oneor more low-power prompting signals using the second level of transmitpower in order to monitor for the one or more responsive signals thatacknowledge detection by the one or more functional devices of the oneor more low-power prompting signals that was transmitting using thefirst level of transmit power.
 10. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 8, wherein said means for directing the wearablecomputing device to broadcast the one or more low-power promptingsignals through an antenna using different levels of transmit powerincluding means for directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using a first level oftransmit power and directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using a second level oftransmit power, the first level of transmit power being different fromthe second level of transmit power comprises: means for directing thewearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals using the first level of transmit power and directingthe wearable computing device to broadcast the one or more low-powerprompting signals using the second level of transmit power includingmeans for further directing the wearable computing device to broadcastthe one or more low-power prompting signals using a third level oftransmit power, the third level of transmit power being different fromthe first level of transmit power or the second level of transmit power.11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 4, wherein saidmeans for directing the wearable computing device to broadcast one ormore low-power prompting signals that are designed to, when one or morefunctional devices detect the one or more low-power prompting signals,prompt the one or more functional devices to generate one or moreresponsive signals to acknowledge detection by the one or morefunctional devices of the one or more low-power prompting signalscomprises: means for directing the wearable computing device tobroadcast the one or more low-power prompting signals including meansfor directing the wearable computing device to broadcast the one or morelow-power prompting signals having one or more frequencies from afrequency band between 57 GHz and 64 GHz.
 12. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein said means fordetecting the presence of the plurality of functional devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device including means fordetecting presence of a plurality of functional devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device based, at least inpart, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices and received by the wearable computing device comprises: meansfor detecting presence of a plurality of functional devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device based, at least inpart, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices and received by the wearable computing device including meansfor determining, based on the plurality of signals, which one or more ofthe plurality of functional devices requires least amount of transmitpower to communicate with by the wearable computing device amongst theplurality of functional devices.
 13. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 12, wherein said means for detecting presence of aplurality of functional devices within the communication range of thewearable computing device based, at least in part, on plurality ofsignals transmitted by the plurality of functional devices and receivedby the wearable computing device including means for determining, basedon the plurality of signals, which one or more of the plurality offunctional devices requires least amount of transmit power tocommunicate with by the wearable computing device amongst the pluralityof functional devices comprises: means for determining, based on theplurality of signals, which one or more of the plurality of functionaldevices requires least amount of transmit power to communicate with bythe wearable computing device including means for determining signalstrengths of the plurality of signals.
 14. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein said means fordetecting the presence of the plurality of functional devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device including means fordetecting presence of a plurality of functional devices within thecommunication range of the wearable computing device based, at least inpart, on plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality of functionaldevices and received by the wearable computing device comprises: meansfor detecting the presence of the plurality of functional devices withinthe communication range of the wearable computing device based, at leastin part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality offunctional devices and received by the wearable computing deviceincluding means for determining locations of the plurality of functionaldevices relative to location of the wearable computing device based, atleast in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the pluralityof functional devices.
 15. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 14, wherein said means for detecting the presence of the pluralityof functional devices within the communication range of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices and received by thewearable computing device including means for determining locations ofthe plurality of functional devices relative to location of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices comprises: means fordetermining the locations of the plurality of functional devicesrelative to the location of the wearable computing device includingmeans for determining directions of the plurality of functional devicesrelative to the location of the wearable computing device based, atleast in part, on the plurality of signals transmitted by the pluralityof functional devices.
 16. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 15, wherein said means for determining the locations of theplurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device including means for determining directions of theplurality of functional devices relative to the location of the wearablecomputing device based, at least in part, on the plurality of signalstransmitted by the plurality of functional devices comprises: means fordetermining the directions of the plurality of functional devicesrelative to the location of the wearable computing device includingmeans for controlling a directional antenna of the wearable computingdevice in order to determine the directions of the plurality offunctional devices relative to the location of the wearable computingdevice based on the plurality of signals transmitted by the plurality offunctional devices and detected through the directional antenna.
 17. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein said means fordetecting presence of a plurality of functional devices withincommunication range of a wearable computing device, the communicationrange being a spatial volume that includes the wearable computing deviceand being externally defined by an enveloping boundary, where low-powersignals transmitted by the wearable computing device being discernibleover background noise within the enveloping boundary and not discernibleover background noise outside the enveloping boundary comprises: meansfor directing the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devicesthat detects the one or more low-power query signals one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices provide one or more specificfunctionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeedprovide the one or more specific functionalities; and means fordirecting the wearable computing device to monitor for the one or moreconfirmation signals.
 18. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 17, wherein said means for directing the wearable computing deviceto transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain from one ormore functional devices that detects the one or more low-power querysignals one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signalsthat indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one ormore specific functionalities if the one or more functional devices doesindeed provide the one or more specific functionalities comprises: meansfor directing the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain, from one or more functional devicesthat detects the one or more low-power query signals, one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices provide one or more communicationlinks to beyond the communication range of the wearable computing deviceif the one or more functional devices does indeed provide the one ormore communication links.
 19. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 18, wherein said means for directing the wearable computing deviceto transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, from one ormore functional devices that detects the one or more low-power querysignals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmation signalsthat indicate that the one or more functional devices provide one ormore communication links to beyond the communication range of thewearable computing device if the one or more functional devices doesindeed provide the one or more communication links comprises: means fordirecting the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functionaldevices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thedata transfer rate of the one or more communication links provided bythe one or more functional devices.
 20. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 17, wherein said means for directing the wearablecomputing device to transmit one or more low-power query signals toobtain from one or more functional devices that detects the one or morelow-power query signals one or more confirmations via one or moreconfirmation signals that indicate that the one or more functionaldevices provide one or more specific functionalities if the one or morefunctional devices does indeed provide the one or more specificfunctionalities comprises: means for directing the wearable computingdevice to transmit one or more low-power query signals to obtain, fromone or more functional devices that detect the one or more low-powerquery signals, one or more confirmations via one or more confirmationsignals that indicate that the one or more functional devices provideone or more sensor functionalities if the one or more functional devicesdoes indeed provide the one or more sensor functionalities.
 21. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein said means fordirecting the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devicesthat detects the one or more low-power query signals one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices provide one or more specificfunctionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeedprovide the one or more specific functionalities comprises: means fordirecting the wearable computing device to transmit the one or morelow-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functionaldevices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or moreconfirmations via the one or more confirmation signals that indicatewhen can the one or more functional devices provide the one or morespecific functionalities to the wearable computing device.
 22. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein said means fordirecting the wearable computing device to transmit one or morelow-power query signals to obtain from one or more functional devicesthat detects the one or more low-power query signals one or moreconfirmations via one or more confirmation signals that indicate thatthe one or more functional devices provide one or more specificfunctionalities if the one or more functional devices does indeedprovide the one or more specific functionalities comprises: means fordirecting the wearable computing device to transmit the one or morelow-power query signals to obtain, from the one or more functionaldevices that detect the one or more low-power query signals, one or moreconfirmations via the one or more confirmation signals that indicatethat the one or more functional devices has access to one or moreapplications that supports one or more applications included with thewearable computing device.
 23. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 2, wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality offunctional devices, one or more functional devices for providing to thewearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises: meansfor selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device theone or more functionalities including means for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices thatwere determined to require least amount of transmit power to communicatewith by the wearable computing device amongst the plurality offunctional devices.
 24. The computationally-implemented system of claim2, wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more functionalities comprises: means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device theone or more functionalities including means for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices thatwere determined to provide earliest access to the one or morefunctionalities amongst the plurality of functional devices.
 25. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein said means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore functionalities comprises: means for selecting, from the pluralityof functional devices, the one or more functional devices for providingto the wearable computing device the one or more functionalitiesincluding means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, on the oneor more relative locations of the one or more functional devicesrelative to the location of the wearable computing device.
 26. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 2, wherein said means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore functionalities comprises: means for selecting, from the pluralityof functional devices, the one or more functional devices for providingto the wearable computing device the one or more functionalitiesincluding means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices,one or more functional devices that were determined to provide highestdata transfer rate or rates to the wearable computing device amongst theplurality of functional devices.
 27. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 2, wherein said means for selecting, from the pluralityof functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing tothe wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the oneor more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice the one or more functionalities including means for selecting,from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devicesthat were determined to have at least access to one or more applicationsthat supports one or more applications included with the wearablecomputing device.
 28. The computationally-implemented system of claim 2,wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more functionalities comprises: means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device theone or more functionalities including means for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices based,at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functionaldevices.
 29. The computationally-implemented system of claim 28, whereinsaid means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, theone or more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice the one or more functionalities including means for selecting,from the plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devicesbased, at least in part, on sensor data provided by the one or morefunctional devices comprises: means for selecting, from the plurality offunctional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at leastin part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devicesthat was determined to include image data of at least a portion of auser's body.
 30. The computationally-implemented system of claim 29,wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, onsensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that wasdetermined to include image data of at least a portion of a user's bodycomprises: means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices based, at least in part, onsensor data provided by the one or more functional devices that wasdetermined to include image data of at least one or more portions of oneor more limbs of the user.
 31. The computationally-implemented system ofclaim 30, wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality offunctional devices, the one or more functional devices based, at leastin part, on sensor data provided by the one or more functional devicesthat was determined to include image data of at least one or moreportions of one or more limbs of the user comprises: means forselecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the one or morefunctional devices based, at least in part, on sensor data provided bythe one or more functional devices that was determined to include imagedata of one or more movements of the at least one or more portions ofthe one or more limbs of the user.
 32. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 2, wherein said means for selecting, from the pluralityof functional devices, one or more functional devices for providing tothe wearable computing device one or more functionalities comprises:means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, the oneor more functional devices for providing to the wearable computingdevice one or more functionalities including means for selecting, fromthe plurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices forproviding to the wearable computing device one or more sensorfunctionalities.
 33. The computationally-implemented system of claim 32,wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, the one or more functional devices for providing to thewearable computing device one or more functionalities including meansfor selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one or morefunctional devices for providing to the wearable computing device one ormore sensor functionalities comprises: means for selecting, from theplurality of functional devices, one or more functional devices forproviding to the wearable computing device sensor data collected by oneor more sensors.
 34. The computationally-implemented system of claim 33,wherein said means for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device sensor data collected by one or more sensors comprises:means for selecting, from the plurality of functional devices, one ormore functional devices for providing to the wearable computing deviceelectrical activity data associated with one or more muscles of a usercollected by one or more sensors.
 35. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 2, further comprising: means for facilitating thewearable computing device to use the one or more functionalitiesprovided by the one or more selected functional devices.
 36. Thecomputationally-implemented system of claim 35, wherein said means forfacilitating the wearable computing device to use the one or morefunctionalities provided by the one or more selected functional devicescomprises: means for facilitating the wearable computing device to usethe one or more functionalities provided by the one or more selectedfunctional devices including means for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to transmit outbound data, via one or more low-poweroutbound data signals, to the one or more selected functional devices.37. The computationally-implemented system of claim 36, wherein saidmeans for facilitating the wearable computing device to use the one ormore functionalities provided by the one or more selected functionaldevices including means for facilitating the wearable computing deviceto transmit outbound data, via one or more low-power outbound datasignals, to the one or more selected functional devices comprises: meansfor facilitating the wearable computing device to transmit the outbounddata, via the one or more low-power outbound data signals, to the one ormore selected functional devices including means for facilitating thewearable computing device to transmit the outbound data, via one or morelow-power outbound data signals that are transmitted using less than 0.8milliwatt of transmit power, to the one or more selected functionaldevices.
 38. The computationally-implemented system of claim 35, whereinsaid means for facilitating the wearable computing device to use the oneor more functionalities provided by the one or more selected functionaldevices comprises: means for facilitating the wearable computing deviceto use the one or more functionalities provided by the one or moreselected functional devices including means for facilitating thewearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devices.39. The computationally-implemented system of claim 38 wherein saidmeans for facilitating the wearable computing device to use the one ormore functionalities provided by the one or more selected functionaldevices including means for facilitating the wearable computing deviceto receive inbound data, via one or more inbound data signals, from theone or more selected functional devices comprises: means forfacilitating the wearable computing device to receive the inbound data,via the one or more inbound data signals, from the one or more selectedfunctional devices including means for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to receive one or more inbound data signals embodyingdata associated with one or more messages that originated from beyondthe communication range of the wearable computing device from the one ormore selected functional devices.
 40. The computationally-implementedsystem of claim 38 wherein said means for facilitating the wearablecomputing device to use the one or more functionalities provided by theone or more selected functional devices including means for facilitatingthe wearable computing device to receive inbound data, via one or moreinbound data signals, from the one or more selected functional devicescomprises: means for facilitating the wearable computing device toreceive the inbound data, via the one or more inbound data signals, fromthe one or more selected functional devices including means forfacilitating the wearable computing device to receive one or moreinbound data signals embodying one or more sensor acquired data from theone or more selected functional devices.
 41. A system, comprising:circuitry for detecting presence of a plurality of functional deviceswithin communication range of a wearable computing device, thecommunication range being a spatial volume that includes the wearablecomputing device and being externally defined by an enveloping boundary,where low-power signals transmitted by the wearable computing devicebeing discernible over background noise within the enveloping boundaryand not discernible over background noise outside the envelopingboundary; and circuitry for selecting, from the plurality of functionaldevices, one or more functional devices for providing to the wearablecomputing device one or more functionalities.